Karl Lauterbach is a German scientist, physician, and member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, has been serving as the Federal Minister of Health since December 8, 2021. Additionally, he holds the position of professor of health economics and epidemiology at the University of Cologne.
Bio/Wiki
Age- 60 years
Full name-Karl Wilhelm Lauterbach
Height-5.6
Weight-70 kg
Born- 21 February 1963
Birthplace- Düren, Germany
Spouse-Angela Spelsberg (m. 1996–2010)
Profession-Scientist, Physician, Politician
Office-Member of the German Bundestag since 2005
Nationality- German
Family
Unfortunately, information about his parents is not known.
Wife
Karl Wilhelm Lauterbach tied the knot with Angela Spelsberg in 1996. Angela is an epidemiologist and physician by profession. They divorced in 2010 after having been separated since 2004.
Children
Together, Karl Wilhelm Lauterbach and Angela Spelsberg have four children. Additionally, Lauterbach has another child from a different relationship.
Education
Lauterbach pursued his studies in human medicine at RWTH Aachen University, the University of Texas at San Antonio, and the University of Düsseldorf, where he successfully completed his graduation. Between 1989 and 1992, he furthered his education in health policy, management, and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, earning a Doctor of Science degree in 1992. Subsequently, from 1992 to 1993, he undertook a fellowship at the Harvard Medical School, supported by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, an organization closely associated with the CDU.
Career
Karl Wilhelm Lauterbach was a member of the CDU for several years before affiliating with the SPD in 2001. Between 1998 and 2005, he held the position of director at the Institute of Health Economics and Clinical Epidemiology (IGKE) at the University of Cologne. He temporarily stepped away from this role due to his service in the Bundestag, where he was elected.
In 2008, Lauterbach was appointed as an adjunct professor at the Harvard School of Public Health. His involvement in healthcare extended to being a member of a council of experts advising the federal government on developments in the German healthcare system, from 1999 until his election to the Bundestag in September 2005. Additionally, he contributed as a member of the Rürup Commission, a government-appointed committee of experts tasked with reviewing the financing of the social insurance systems.
Political Career
Karl Lauterbach entered the Bundestag by securing a direct mandate in the Leverkusen – Cologne IV electoral district during the 2005 federal elections. Prior to the 2013 federal elections, he was included in Peer Steinbrück’s shadow cabinet for the SPD’s campaign aiming to unseat Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Appointed by Federal Minister of Health Hermann Gröhe, Lauterbach served as a member of an expert commission focusing on the reform of Germany’s hospital care from 2015 to 2017. Subsequently, from 2018 to 2019, he chaired an expert commission advising Mayor of Berlin Michael Müller on strategies for the city’s health sector.
During the 2019 SPD leadership election, Lauterbach expressed his intention to run for the position of the party’s co-chair alongside Nina Scheer. In the 2021 German federal election, he comfortably secured victory in the Leverkusen electoral district, marking his return to the Bundestag despite not being nominated in a top position on the SPD’s party list.
On November 28, 2022, reports emerged that Lauterbach was among the main targets of a suspected terrorist group apprehended by German federal police. The group had allegedly planned his kidnapping during a talk show appearance, with further intentions of inciting a coup.
In October 2023, Lauterbach took part in the inaugural joint cabinet retreat of the German and French governments in Hamburg, a gathering chaired by Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Emmanuel Macron.
Net Worth
Karl Lauterbach’s estimated net worth or net income is in the range of $1 million to $10 million dollars.
Latest News about Karl Lauterbach
Karl Lauterbach is now in a new romantic relationship
Karl Lauterbach has found new love, and the SPD Health Minister is opening up about his relationship with his new partner for the first time. Elisabeth Niejahr, a journalist and best-selling author, has captured his heart.
In a podcast that delved into topics ranging from politics and science to loneliness, Lauterbach and Niejahr discussed various aspects of life. However, the issue of loneliness seems to be resolved for Karl Lauterbach (60) and Elisabeth Niejahr (59) since they have become a couple.
The politician revealed this romantic development to Bild, stating, “I’m glad that Elisabeth Niejahr is in my life.” Their relationship, which began in November, has become more public as they have been spotted together at various events in Berlin. This disclosure is particularly noteworthy because Lauterbach is currently under constant personal protection due to threats from terrorist groups.
