Sandra Girod

Born in 1963 and raised in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. High school graduation, unloved law studies and struggle to get a traineeship at a newspaper. Two semesters in Munich, which she spent not at university but in the editorial offices of Bild-München and Münchner Merkur. One year as a country reporter for the Kieler Nachrichten with 26 mayors, 26 fire department chairmen, rabbit breeders, shooting clubs and the realization that one must always listen carefully and must not misspell any names. Traineeship, local editor in Kiel. Two years as a reporter for the BZ in Berlin, experimenting with whether tabloid and decency can be reconciled (yes, they can). Since 1993, she has lived in Hamburg with her husband and two children and works mainly for women's magazines.