Obituary - Frank Siebelt - Calm under pressure and meticulous

German monetary policy correspondent Frank Siebelt, a Reuters journalist for a quarter of a century, has died at the age of 63 after a long illness.

Frank continued to work with dedication and skill almost until his death on December 16, and many of his colleagues did not realise how serious his illness was.

Sabine Wollrab,. Bureau Chief for Germany, Austria and Switzerland, said in a note to colleagues: “Frank was not only a highly respected journalist but a very well-liked colleague. We will miss him deeply.”

Starting his Reuters career covering pharmaceuticals and chemicals in 2015, Siebelt moved to reporting for the German language service on the European Central Bank and monetary policy, where he became a respected expert.

Colleagues remembered him as calm under pressure, meticulous in his reporting and generous with his knowledge and advice, Wollrab said.

“Frank was thoughtful, witty, knowledgeable and always curious,” one colleague said.

Outside journalism Siebelt loved literature, music  and film. He was a skilful cook and occasionally wrote restaurant reviews for the local press under a pseudonym.

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