Uwe‑Karsten Heye, former German government spokesperson, dies at 85

Uwe‑Karsten Heye, a veteran German journalist and former spokesperson of the red‑green federal government under Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, died on Thursday at the age of 85, the association "Gesicht zeigen!" announced. Heye began his career as a correspondent for the Süddeutsche Zeitung in Bonn, later wrote speeches for former Chancellor Willy Brandt and served as his press secretary. In 1998 he became the first spokesperson of Schröder’s coalition government, a post he held for four years, after which he served as spokesperson for the Lower Saxony state government, German consul in New York, and editor-in-chief of the SPD newspaper Vorwärts. He also founded the anti‑antisemitism and anti‑right‑extremism association "Gesicht zeigen!".

The blog "Blog der Republik" published a tribute noting Heye’s long‑standing commitment to combating right‑wing extremism, racism, and defending human rights, recalling his influential role in German political communication and civil‑society activism.