He interviewed many powerful politicians and produced memorable foreign reports. Gerd Ruge was a reporter legend. Now he has died at the age of 93.
The longtime ARD-Correspondent and reporter Gerd Ruge is dead. He died on Friday at the age of 93 in Munich, according to Westdeutsche Rundfunk (WDR) announced on Saturday. Ruge reported for many years as a correspondent from countries such as Russia and the United States. He was considered a reporter legend.
The ARD chairman and WDR director Tom Buhrow said: “Gerd Ruge was one of the great reporter personalities of the first hour. Profound analyzes, precise interviews and the ability to explain complex relationships in an easily understandable manner – that made him stand out.” He was a valuable contemporary witness of important political events at home and abroad. “His numerous foreign reports and travel reports will remain unforgettable. The audience loved him for that,” added Buhrow. For many subsequent generations of journalists, he was a role model and orientation.
Ruge was born on August 9, 1928 in Hamburg. His professional career is mainly shaped by his work for ARD. The WDR journalist worked in various positions for public broadcasters. A few stations: in the 1950s he went to Moscow as an ARD correspondent, and in the 1960s he worked in the USA. In the early 1970s, the ARD chief correspondent took over the management of the WDR studio in Bonn. For several years in the 1970s he was in for the daily newspaper “Die Welt” China active, then he worked again for ARD.