A company belonging to the Minister of State for Culture, Wolfram Weimer, sells access to senior politicians at a “Ludwig-Erhard-Summit”. “The Left” criticises this as “gilding his office”. Bavaria is now examining whether to halt funding.
The German Minister of State for Culture, Wolfram Weimer, who is close to the Christian Democratic Party (CDU), is under pressure following an investigation by the right-wing portal “Apollo News”: since 2012 his Weimer Media Group has hosted the “Ludwig-Erhard-Summit” in Bavaria, where companies can buy time with federal ministers for substantial sums. The name of the event relates to Ludwig Erhard, who served as Germany’s Chancellor from 1963 to 1966, and is often regarded as the architect of the country’s post-war economic recovery.
Weimer and his wife, Christiane Goetz-Weimer, each hold 50 per cent of the company’s shares. She is also the publisher of magazines and online portals, including “The European”, which recently made headlines because it allegedly violated copyright by reusing articles from other media.
Since taking office, the Minister of State for Culture has not served as managing director of the Weimer Media Group – but continues to benefit economically through his marriage. Participation in the “Ludwig-Erhard-Summit” alone costs €3000. According to the investigation by right-wing “Apollo”, the packages “Zugspitze” (€40,000), “Matterhorn” (€60,000) and “Mont Blanc” (€80,000) are particularly lucrative for Weimer; they include access to an “exclusive Executive Night”. Announced as participating ministers at the upcoming conference in April 2026 are christian-democratic figures such as Katherina Reiche (economy), Thorsten Frei (chancellery), Dorothee Bär (research) and Alois Rainer (agriculture).
The “Ludwig-Erhard-Summit” is also financed with public funds: the Bavarian state government supported it via its agency “Bayern Innovativ” with €75,000 in both 2022 and 2023, with €140,000 in 2024 and with €165,000 in 2025. The federal state now intends to clarify whether the funding will continue.
Weimer calls the allegations a “lie” and has announced legal action through a media lawyer. Deputy government spokesperson Sebastian Hille commented only briefly: Weimer no longer holds a position of responsibility in the company with his wife.
The opposition in the Bundestag has reacted sharply. Sven Lehmann (Greens), chair of the Culture Committee, is demanding full transparency regarding state links to the Weimer company. David Schliesing, media policy spokesperson for “The Left”, accuses the Minister of State for Culture of “directly gilding his office”. Co-chair Jan van Aken said: “Millionaires have bought themselves a state secretary in Wolfram Weimer and have made a millionaire of Friedrich Merz as chancellor.”
Published in German in „nd“.
Image: “Members”, “partners” and sponsors of the upcoming “Tegernsee Summit” (ludwig-erhard-gipfel.de).
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