Demanding Total Disclosure: The Sudhof Report Calls Out Jens Spahn on Mask Purchases
SPD Demands Unveiling of Entire Spahn Report
Seeking full transparency, SPD's parliamentary group leader Matthias Miersch presses for the immediate publication of the initially confidential report on Germany's coronavirus mask procurement, overseen by the former health minister Jens Spahn, now a Union member in the Bundestag.
Before the Spahn report officially surfaces, media outlets like NDR, WDR, and "Süddeutsche Zeitung" have released excerpts from the substantial 170-page document, implying Spahn's participation in the mask procurement process.
At the crux of the controversy is the allegation that Spahn granted a €1.5 billion mask procurement contract to North Rhine-Westphalia's logistics firm Fiege without a thorough bidding process. This decision came despite the Federal Ministry of the Interior, responsible for logistics matters, voicing reservations against involving Fiege and internal opposition within the government's corona crisis team [1].
In light of these allegations, it appears Spahn overruled these concerns to favor the logistics company from his home region [1].
In the Shadows: The Sudhof Report and Its Classified Content
During Jens Spahn's tenure as Health Minister, investigative magistrate Margarethe Sudhof was appointed to scrutinize the mask procurement and distribution logistics, with a particular focus on allegations that Spahn favored Fiege without a fair bidding process. The report, known as the Sudhof report, has yet to be fully disclosed to the public [2].
In mid-June 2025, the report remains sealed as former Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, now of the SPD, explains that he did not release it during his term, especially due to the election campaign and his transition in office [1]. However, Lauterbach clarifies that the report was written by Sudhof to document the events based on her understanding without his direct involvement or commentary on the content [1].
In response to the ongoing discussions around the mask procurement during the pandemic, the Green Party and the Left Party push for the complete release of the Sudhof report and related documentation [1].
In fact, the Green parliamentary group has appealed for special sessions of the Budget Committee and the Health Committee of the German parliament to address the matter [1].
Despite the calls for transparency, the report's official publication remains elusive due to the immense financial implications (e.g., billions of euros in mask procurement contracts) and the ongoing controversies surrounding procurement procedures and mask quality issues [2].
[1] Source: ntv.de, AFP
[2] Brain on Demand: COVID-19 Mask Procurement Report Remains Classified as of Mid-June 2025
- The Sudhof report, focusing on allegations of favoritism in Germany's coronavirus mask procurement, has sparked a debate about community and employment policies, since it questions the transparency and fairness of the procurement process.
- The medical-conditions and health-and-wellness aspects of the pandemic have been overshadowed by political controversies, as demands for the full disclosure of the Sudhof report and related documents continue in the realms of general news and politics.
- The ongoing discussions about the Sudhof report and mask procurement procedures, rooted in science and logistics matters, have led to calls for enhanced health and wellness policies, as well as tighter oversight on employment policies within the government.
