Peer Steinbrück

Politicians are stars. They are recognised, they are encircled and they aren’t forgotten until long after they’ve left their positions in public office. Yet what we understand about life as a leading politician and what we think we know about the culture which exists at the heart of the political world, seems to be based much more on myth and suspicion than on genuine insight.

The renowned journalist and publicist Nils Minkmar accompanied Peer Steinbrück for almost a year as he took part in an election campaign. Minkmar gained exclusive access to important appointments and meetings.

Peer Steinbrück was Prime Minister of the German state, North Rhine-Westphalia. He was the Federal Minister for Finance and acting Federal Chairman for the SPD. He has been a member of the German Bundestag since 2009. Nils Minkmar is editor in chief of the German newspaper, the “Frankfurter Allgemeinen Zeitung” and in 2012 he was awarded the title of Culture Journalist of the Year (Kulturjournalist des Jahres).