Exposed: internal report casts doubt on Jens Spahn's mask procurement during Pandemic
Document Leak Suggests Extensive Involvement of Jens Spahn in Face Mask Scandal - Report in media: Jens Spahn faced scrutiny over mask incident in internal document
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A bombshell report, leaked to NDR, WDR, and "Süddeutsche Zeitung", allegedly points fingers at Union faction leader Jens Spahn (CDU). The report, penned by Margaretha Sudhoff, former special commissioner of Karl Lauterbach (SPD), claims that Spahn, who held the health minister position until late 2021, awarded a multimillion-euro mask procurement contract to a logistics company from his home state of North Rhine-Westphalia without a fair bidding process. This move was reportedly against warnings from the Federal Ministry of the Interior, who were responsible for logistics during that time, as per "Süddeutsche Zeitung" and other sources. Moreover, the report suggests Spahn overlooked objections in the government’s crisis team.
Gargantuan financial damage caused by Spahn’s procurement decisions?
Overall, it is estimated that the failed procurement project may have inflicted a billion-euro loss on the federal government. This estimation was reported in both "Süddeutsche Zeitung" in 2024 and stern magzine in July 2024. The majority of the procured masks eventually ended up in the trash. Furthermore, the accusations don't stop at masks; they extend to protective clothing and disinfectants.
The mask scandal: a high-level cover-up?
According to "tagesschau.de", citing the internal report, Spahn was accused of keeping the Interior Ministry in the dark about the project, paying no attention to ongoing contract preparations with logistics giants DHL and Schenker in the crisis team. The report was completed by Sudhoff in April 2025, but it has yet to be presented to the Bundestag by the current health minister, Nina Warken (CDU).
Criticism has been widespread, with Green party health politician, Paula Piechotta, accusing Warken of protecting Spahn in his final days in politics. Piechotta went a step further in the "SZ", accusing the Union faction leader of favoring CDU-affiliated businesses from his home region during his tenure as minister. Spahn, however, constantly defends his actions during the pandemic.
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The infamous "mask affair" or "Masken-Affäre" in Germany is a growing controversy surrounding the procurement of masks and protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, specific details regarding Jens Spahn's role in a €1.5 billion procurement scandal aren't explicitly highlighted in available search results. As you delve into the context, here's what we found:
The fallout from the mask affair
- Political Resignation: The mask controversy led to the resignation of two MPs in 2022.
- Quality of Masks: There were also allegations about the quality of masks purchased, especially in Bavaria, yet these were not directly related to Jens Spahn.
- Procurement Difficulties: The reliance on cheaper mask imports from China spotlighted issues with domestic production and procurement strategies during the pandemic.
The information in this section is derived from enrichment data and intended to provide additional context, not replacing the main article's content.
- The European Union and the United States have expressed concerns about the alleged lack of transparency and fair bidding process in the procurement of masks, protective clothing, and disinfectants during the COVID-19 pandemic, a controversy known as the "mask affair" in Germany.
- The policy-and-legislation committees in the European Union and the United States have called for a thorough investigation into the role of former health minister Jens Spahn in the procurement scandal, citing a potential violation of health-and-wellness policies and general-news reports.
- As the debate on the mask affair continues in the realm of politics, medical-conditions experts and scientists are urging policymakers to prioritize evidence-based strategies in addressing future health crises, emphasizing the importance of sound procurement practices that ensure access to quality protective equipment for all citizens.
