The Director and the "Enemy": How Germany's ZDF Betrays Its Own People

On March 13, 2026, Norbert Himmler was re-elected as ZDF director by the Television Council. No opposing candidate. 48 out of 53 votes. Calling it North Korean would be an exaggeration — but democratic it is not.

In his campaign speech, Himmler spoke of a “growing number of people who only believe what fits their worldview.” He spoke of the “enemy.” He wants to position ZDF as a “relevant factor for our democracy.”

The response came from a woman who had worked for that very broadcaster for 18 years. From the inside. Katrin Seibold — author, reporter, presenter at 3sat Kulturzeit, from 2003 to 2021.

Seibold’s Response

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“Yes, Mr. Himmler, you said it: ‘In Germany, there is a growing number of people who only believe what fits their worldview.’ Who started that?”

A question that cuts deep. Because Seibold answers it herself: over 18 years, she witnessed how ZDF created a very specific worldview — not reflected, created. And everything that didn’t fit was denounced.

The combat terms she names: “Putin apologist,” “Corona denier,” “conspiracy theorist,” “tinfoil hat wearer.” Terms that ZDF didn’t invent but pushed into public discourse with full force. Seibold says she consciously never used these terms in any of her 3sat publications — and watched in horror as they spread.

The Chronology of Betrayal

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2021: Seibold Asks Questions — ZDF Shuts Her Out

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Katrin Seibold wanted to discuss things in editorial meetings. About the origin of the term “Querdenker.” About children during the pandemic. About whether their own reporting was balanced.

The broadcaster’s response came in writing: “Editorial meetings are repeatedly used by you for criticism of the system. This has caused considerable discomfort among colleagues. The relationship of trust has been permanently disrupted.” [1]

After 18 years — out. Not for poor work. For asking questions.

2021: Ole Skambraks Says “I Can’t Do This Anymore” — SWR Fires Him

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Almost simultaneously, SWR employee Ole Skambraks published an open letter: public broadcasting was reporting one-sidedly on the pandemic, suppressing dissenting voices, and defaming them as far-right [2]. SWR terminated him — for “false factual claims” and “disruption of workplace harmony.”

The pattern is identical: whoever criticizes from within is marked as a disruptor and removed.

2022: Seibold Goes Public

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On Bild TV, Seibold reported how ZDF deliberately produced fake news. One example: the American bureau of ZDF was commissioned to produce a segment about a chemical weapons alarm. It had not taken place as described. But since the segment was ordered, the studio persuaded acquaintances to play concerned citizens on camera [1].

Staged scenes. On public broadcasting. Paid for with license fees.

February 2026: AI Fake on heute journal

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An unlabeled AI-generated fake video on heute journal. A whistleblower exposed it — and was branded a “traitor” by over 600 ZDF colleagues. The fake wasn’t the problem. The person who exposed it was the problem.

March 2026: Himmler Re-elected — Speaks of the “Enemy”

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And now the re-elected director — without an opposing candidate, in an election reminiscent of one-party systems — declares the critics the “enemy.”

Who Sits on the Television Council?

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The 53 people who elected Himmler are, according to the Media State Treaty, the “advocates of the audience.” In reality, they include:

• Lisa Paus — voted-out Federal Minister
• Heiko Maas — voted-out Federal Foreign Minister
• Representatives of environmental organizations, trade unions, churches
• Politically infiltrated associations and NGOs

Welt editor Andreas Rosenfelder put it aptly: the Television Council is “effectively an estates assembly of the political civil service apparatus and the politicized association and NGO landscape.” It represents “all sorts of interests, but certainly not those of the fee-paying public.” [3]

48 of 53 of these representatives found Himmler’s work good enough for another five years.

The Elephant in the Room

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Seibold names it directly: vaccine side effects. A taboo at ZDF. She points to ZDF reporter Susanne Gelhar (@susa7170), who produced segments on vaccine injuries — as one of the few in-house.

Seibold’s demands to Himmler:

• Task force for investigating the RKI Files — with current ZDF reporters
• Invitation to Aya Velazquez, Bastian Barucker, and Stefan Homburg for open exchange
• Apology to license fee payers for pharma marketing instead of critical reporting
• Dialogue with the groups that must pay for the programming but refuse to watch

Instead, the director speaks of the “enemy.”

The Pattern

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What makes Seibold’s statement so valuable: she confirms from the inside what millions of Germans have long felt from the outside.

It’s not the critics who destroyed trust. It’s ZDF itself.

What Seibold Doesn’t Say — But Everyone Understands

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When a broadcaster fires its own employees for asking questions. When the director marks critics as the “enemy.” When the oversight bodies consist of voted-out politicians. When whistleblowers are called traitors by 600 colleagues.

Then this is no longer public broadcasting. It is state media.

Katrin Seibold spent 18 years trying to change things from the inside. It didn’t work. Now she speaks from the outside — and confirms what we’ve been writing for years.

Every day, another piece of the puzzle.

Sources:

1. Tichy’s Einblick: ZDF Fires Journalist Over Critical Questions — 2022
2. DWDL: “Workplace Harmony Severely Disrupted” — SWR Fires Employee — 2021
3. FAZ: Norbert Himmler Remains ZDF Director — 2026
4. Tichy’s Einblick: Re-elected ZDF Director Wants to Fight the “Enemy” — 2026
5. SZ: ZDF Director Himmler Re-elected — 2026
6. Tagesschau: ZDF Director Himmler Re-elected — 2026
7. Henning Rosenbusch: Katrin Seibold Statement — 2026
8. Götz Frömming MP: Comment on Seibold — 2026
9. YouTube: “This Is How ZDF Lies to Us” — Katrin Seibold Interview — 2026