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December 6, 2016

Surprise for Ellen Ringier with many prominent guests

Ellen Ringier celebrates her 65th birthday
Time: 3 min

Surprise for Ellen Ringier with many prominent guests

Around 60 guests were invited by the Elternsein Foundation to celebrate Ellen Ringier's 65th birthday. Among the many well-wishers was former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, a close friend of the Ringier family.
Text: Nik Niethammer

Pictures: Lukas Mäder / 13 Photo

Das Geburtstagskind, Ellen Ringier, kommt an - und freut sich. Die Überraschung ist geglückt! Gerhard Schröder, Bundeskanzler a.D begrüsst sie.
The birthday girl, Ellen Ringier, arrives - and is delighted. The surprise has been a success! Gerhard Schröder, former Federal Chancellor, greets her.
Chefredaktor Nik Niethammer im Gespräch mit Gerhard Schröder.
Editor-in-chief Nik Niethammer in conversation with Gerhard Schröder.
Ein ergreifender Moment: Der Verleger Michael Ringier würdigt das Engagement seiner Frau. Er erzählt, wie schnell er selbst auf Anlässen nur noch als «Begleitung» angegeben wurde - weil Ellen Ringier mit Fritz Fränzi nun selbst als erfolgreiche Verlegerin bekannt war.
A poignant moment: publisher Michael Ringier honours his wife's commitment. He tells how quickly he himself was only referred to as «company» at events - because Ellen Ringier was now known as a successful publisher herself with Fritz Fränzi.
Ellen Ringier lauscht der Ansprache von Verlagsleiter Thomas Schlickenrieder.
Ellen Ringier listens to the speech by publishing director Thomas Schlickenrieder.
Und noch eine Überraschung: die Spezialausgabe für und über Ellen Ringier.
And another surprise: the special edition for and about Ellen Ringier.
Natürlich beginnt die Stiftungspräsidentin sofort zu blättern.
Naturally, the Foundation President immediately starts leafing through it.
Gerhard Schröder erzählt, dass seine Kinder eine Privatschule in Hannover besuchen, die besonderen Wert legt auf eine ganzheitliche, integrative und individuelle Bildung - und natürlich auch von der besonderen Freundschaft zum Haus Ringier.
Gerhard Schröder explains that his children attend a public school in Hanover that places particular emphasis on a holistic, integrative and individualised education - and, of course, his special friendship with Ringier.
Das Fritz Fränzi-Team in Feierlaune.
The Fritz Fränzi team in a celebratory mood.
Alles Liebe zum Geburtstag, Frau Ringier und 1000 Dank für Ihr Engagement!
Happy birthday, Mrs Ringier, and a thousand thanks for your commitment!


Congratulations, Mrs Colleague!" With these words, Ringier Chairman of the Board of Directors Michael Ringier greeted his wife Ellen, President of the Elternsein Foundation and publisher of the Swiss parenting magazine Fritz+Fränzi, on her 65th birthday. Around 60 guests celebrated her birthday on Wednesday afternoon at the Lebewohlfabrik in Zurich's Seefeld district at the invitation of the Elternsein Foundation. Among the well-wishers was former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, a close friend of the Ringier family.

Michael Ringier's response to his wife's plans to launch a magazine for parents was that he knew better how to lose money with magazine launches. That was 15 years ago. Today, the Swiss parents' magazine Fritz+Fränzi is the leading parents' magazine in Switzerland, published 10 times a year with a circulation of over 100,000 copies. And the trend is rising: the magazine increased its readership this year, sold more copies at newsagents and reached a new subscription high.

Own birthday edition

Thomas Schlickenrieder, Managing Director of Stiftung Elternsein, surprised his boss with an F+F birthday issue. The special edition with a print run of 3,000 copies was produced within four weeks under the direction of F+F Editor-in-Chief Nik Niethammer and was financed exclusively by advertising; long-standing F+F advertising customers such as Manor, IKEA and Raiffeisen had placed a total of 11 individually designed congratulatory adverts.

In the 62-page special issue, fellow travellers such as wrestling veteran Fibo Deutsch and Karl Lüönd recall a time when Ellen Riniger was still called Lüthy and was working on a legal dissertation on the personal rights of media victims. 25 personalities from the worlds of politics, business and society congratulate the jubilarian with very personal words, including President Doris Leuthard, Emil Steinberger, entrepreneurs Beat Curti and Jürg Marquard, former German Interior Minister Otto Schily, cartoonist Ted Scapa and film producer Arthur Cohn.

The winner of the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, Carolin Emcke, writes: «I don't know anyone, really no one, who has such a gift for infecting people with their own passion.» And Gerhard Schröder's contribution ends with the words: «It was and is good for me to know Ellen, to argue with her, but above all to laugh. There are plenty of opportunities for both. I hope it stays that way.»

Nik Niethammer

has been editor-in-chief of Fritz+Fränzi since 2014. He is the father of a son and a daughter and lives in Zurich and Freiburg im Breisgau.

All articles by Nik Niethammer
This text was originally published in German and was automatically translated using artificial intelligence. Please let us know if the text is incorrect or misleading: feedback@fritzundfraenzi.ch

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