After search operation

Förderl-Schmid turns to colleagues for the first time

Alexandra Föderl-Schmid was found severely hypothermic under a bridge over the River Inn near Braunau last Friday.(Bild: Prohaska Rene / VGN Medien Holding / picturedesk.com)

The deputy editor-in-chief of the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" ("SZ"), Alexandra Föderl-Schmid, has contacted the "SZ" editorial team one week after she was initially reported missing and then found by the police in Braunau with severe hypothermia. "I received a lot of good wishes. Thank you very much for that. I still need to rest and recover," she wrote in her message to her colleagues.

"We are very happy about this news and wish Alexandra Föderl-Schmid a good recovery and rest for the coming weeks. May she take the time she needs," wrote the editorial team and publisher of "SZ" in a statement on the newspaper's online site on Friday.

Activity temporarily suspended
Föderl-Schmid had temporarily suspended her operational activities at the "SZ" after allegations were made about her handling of the citation of source material in journalistic texts.

Alexandra Föderl-Schmid(Bild: Prohaska Rene / VGN Medien Holding / picturedesk.com)

She was later accused of plagiarism in relation to her dissertation, with the right-wing populist portal "Nius" commissioning "plagiarism hunter" Stefan Weber to check her work.

As a result, however, numerous voices have recently come out in support of Föderl-Schmid. "The concerted campaigns by irresponsible tabloid media, propaganda platforms and self-proclaimed 'plagiarism hunters' are targeted attacks on quality media in order to prevent critical reporting or make it untrustworthy," stated the Concordia Press Club and the Media Network Women.