RBB and Gelbhaar reach an out-of-court settlement: But the amount remains secret

RBB and former Green Party member of the Bundestag Stefan Gelbhaar have settled their dispute out of court, the broadcaster announced. The settlement also includes the payment of monetary compensation to Stefan Gelbhaar. The parties have agreed not to disclose the amount. Gelbhaar had demanded €1.7 million, but RBB rejected the sum as "unreasonable."

The dispute concerned an RBB report published at the end of 2024 that contained false allegations against Gelbhaar. The ARD broadcaster had since admitted errors in its journalistic work and apologized for the reporting and the "significant damage" it claimed to have caused Gelbhaar. Gelbhaar accepted the apology, and the broadcaster recognized an injunction issued by the Hamburg Regional Court as the final settlement.

Affair with consequences for the RBB

According to the statement, both parties described the now concluded negotiations as respectful and, in the end, successful for both parties. Gelbhaar emphasized not only the out-of-court settlement, but also the way RBB handled the issue. "RBB showed understanding and handled the conflict in a very reasonable and structured manner during our negotiations," he said.

Following the RBB report, doubts arose about the identity of a woman who allegedly made allegations against Gelbhaar. The broadcaster had never seen the woman and retracted the report. The identity apparently doesn't even exist.

Gelbhaar had consistently defended himself against the allegations . He is no longer a member of the new Bundestag. The affair had consequences at RBB. Editor-in-Chief David Biesinger and Program Director Katrin Günther resigned from their positions.