I’m a German journalist based in Berlin, focusing on defence and security affairs and the German armed forces.
Professional journalist since 1981:
From 1981 to 1986, working for the German wire service Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) in Kiel, Hamburg and Dortmund
From 1986 to 1999, correspondent with the – then still existing – German service of the Associated Press (AP) in Hamburg, Bonn and Berlin
From 1999 to 2010, correspondent with Focus Magazine in Berlin
Working as an independent journalist since the summer of 2010. Stories for Der Spiegel, German Public Radio (NDR), Zeit Online and various defence publications and broadcast networks. Running the blog Augen geradeaus! (mostly in German)
Focusing on defence and security affairs since 1993, when German armed forces were deployed overseas for the first time since WW II – to Somalia
Co-hosting Sicherheitshalber , a German-language podcast on defence and international security (together with Ulrike Franke, Carlo Masala and Frank Sauer)
Co-authored a book on unmanned systems/drones (with Kai Biermann): Drohnen – Chancen und Gefahren einer neuen Technik (2015)
Regular contributor to the collaborative blog Techniktagebuch
Contributing author to the Security.Table Newsletter by Table.Media
Winner of German Lead Award in silver 2011.
Nominated for Grimme Online Award 2011, Henri-Nannen-Preis 2012, Henri-Nannen-Preis 2013.
Goldener Igel Award 2013 of the German Armed Forces Reservists Association.
Social Media Award Goldener Blogger 2018
Grimme Online Award 2019 with the authors of the collaborative blog Techniktagebuch
Nominated for Grimme Online Award 2020 with the Sicherheitshalber podcast
(Picture: NATO Exercise Trident Juncture in Norway, October 2018 – Dagmar Benner/German Air Force)