Dr Friede Springer, born Riewerts on 15 August 1942 in Oldsum on the island of Föhr, is the daughter of a master gardener and a home economics manager. After leaving school, she trained as a hotel manager, but broke off her training. In 1965, Friede Springer was employed as a nanny in the house of the publisher Axel Springer in Hamburg-Blankenese. In 1978 she became Axel Springer's fifth wife.
Dr Friede Springer holds 22.5% of Axel Springer SE via investment companies. A further 1% belongs to the non-profit Friede Springer Foundation, of which she is chairwoman of the board. Friede Springer is also chairwoman of the board of the non-profit Axel Springer Foundation and founder and chairwoman of the Friede Springer Heart Foundation. Forbes Magazine estimates her wealth at 3.1 billion US dollars (2021).
Springer maintains good contacts with former German Chancellor Angela Merkel. She participated in the election of the Federal President on several occasions as a member of the Federal Assembly for the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). The seven-member board of trustees of the Friede Springer Foundation includes Horst Köhler, former Federal President, and Joachim Sauer, husband of Angela Merkel.
