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6d ago

Veteran ZDF Journalist Gerd Helbig Dies at 86

Helbig, a transformative figure in German television journalism, is remembered for his decades-long career as a foreign correspondent and mentor.

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Overview

  • Gerd Helbig, a prominent ZDF journalist, passed away on April 29, 2025, at the age of 86, after a career spanning over four decades.
  • Helbig reported from global hotspots including Beirut, Washington, Brussels, Rome, and Tel Aviv, shaping ZDF's foreign journalism with his detailed and human-centered storytelling.
  • He served as a moderator for the 'heute journal' and 'auslandsjournal' and led ZDF's Washington studio in the 1980s and 1990s.
  • ZDF leadership, including current editor-in-chief Bettina Schausten, praised Helbig as a role model for generations of journalists, highlighting his humility and dedication to his craft.
  • Former ZDF editor-in-chief Peter Frey paid tribute, describing Helbig as a 'world explainer' and an 'exceptional figure' who made complex global stories accessible to audiences.