Katherina Reiche & Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg: This is how the new Power Power couple ticks

This news caused a stir on Monday evening: the designated Minister of Economics Katherina Reiche (51) and the former Minister of Defense and Economics Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg (53) are a couple. This was confirmed by the lawyer of the two of the dpa: it was correct that his clients had received a relationship some time ago. Shortly before, on April 29, it became known that the Brandenburg CDU politician should become Federal Minister of Economics in the new black and red coalition under Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Your partner knows this post well: The CSU man became Federal Minister of Economics and Technology in February 2009 – at the age of 37, Guttenberg was the youngest Minister of Economic Affairs in the Federal Republic to date. A few months later, he took over the Ministry of Defense. After a plagiarism affair for his dissertation, however, he had to reorient himself professionally.

At the time, Guttenberg was considered a young hope for politics, was a popular guest on talk shows and on the red carpet. For a while he was by far the most popular politician in the country. His marriage to Stephanie (48) may also have a part in this. In 2000, the Countess of Bismarck-Schönhausen married to Guttenberg. Together, the two developed a great radiance and were celebrated as a pair of glamor of politics. They were even referred to as “German Kennedys”. After the 2011 scandal it became calmer around her, the couple moved to the USA with the two daughters together and reoriented itself. Her separation became known in September 2023.

In the meantime, Guttenberg works as a management consultant, lobbyist, co-producer and moderator of documentary films. In autumn 2023 he published a book entitled “3 seconds – notes from the present”. In April 2024, in April 2024 he spoke openly about his experience with the disease in the NDR Info- . “Especially when I got up very early and far too quickly into these high offices, I simply reached the limits of my resilience,” said Guttenberg. Psychotherapy helped him: “I can say that today I was in a good starting situation in which I would not be if I hadn’t been looking for help at the time.”

Katherina Reiche belonged to the Bundestag from 1998 to 2015 and is considered to be well networked. From 2005 to 2009 she was deputy head of the Union faction, until 2015 State Secretary in the environmental and then in the Ministry of Transport. After that, she first returned to politics and switched to the economy. Most recently, she was CEO of Western Energy, a subsidiary of E.On. In 2003 Katherina Reiche married the CDU politician Sven Petke, with whom she has three children and from whom she now lives separately.