Berlin, 21 January 2020

Dr h.c. Friede Springer, Friede Springer GmbH & Co. KG as well as Axel Springer Gesellschaft für Publizistik GmbH & Co have informed Axel Springer SE pursuant to Sec. 43 para. 1 German Securities and Trading Act (Wertpapierhandelsgesetz - WpHG) as follows:

'On 20 December 2019, I, Dr h.c. Friede Springer, informed on the excess of the 75% threshold in voting rights in Axel Springer SE, Berlin. I, Dr h.c. Friede Springer, and Friede Springer GmbH & Co. KG as well as Axel Springer Gesellschaft für Publizistik GmbH & Co (the Notifying Person) inform you pursuant to Sec. 43 para. 1 German Securities and Trading Act (Wertpapierhandelsgesetz - WpHG) on the objectives pursued with the acquisition of the voting rights and the origin of the funds used as follows:

The excess of the threshold in voting rights is based on the attribution of voting rights due to a coordinated exercise of voting rights (acting in concert) and the acquisition of instruments (rights of first offer to shares with voting rights (Vorerwebsrechte auf Aktien mit Stimmrechten)) by the Notifying Person due to contractual agreements with third parties.

1. Objectives pursued with the acquisition of the voting rights (Sec. 43 para. 1 sentence 3 WpHG)

1.1 The investment in Axel Springer SE serves to implement strategic goals.

1.2 The Notifying Person does not intend to acquire further voting rights of Axel Springer SE by means of a purchase or by other means within the next twelve months. Due to the coordinated exercise of voting rights (acting in concert) between Traviata B.V., Traviata II S.à r.l., Dr h.c. Friede Springer, Friede Springer GmbH & Co. KG, Axel Springer Gesellschaft für Publizistik GmbH & Co, Dr Mathias Döpfner (including all shares held directly or indirectly by him) and Epiktet GmbH & Co. KG further voting rights which are acquired by the aforementioned persons by means of purchase or by other means in the future could be attributed to the Notifying Person.

1.3 The Notifying Person intends to exert influence on the composition of the management body and the supervisory body of Axel Springer SE. Reference is made to section 8.2.5 b) and c) of the offer document of Traviata II S.à r.l. addressed to the shareholders of Axel Springer SE as of 4 July 2019.

1.4 The Notifying Person does not intent to change the capital structure of Axel Springer SE.

2. Origin of the funds used (Sec. 43 para. 1 sentence 4 WpHG)

Neither own funds nor borrowed funds were used by the Notifying Person to acquire the voting rights. Costs in relation to the agreements regarding the coordinated exercise of voting rights (acting in concert; cf. section 1.2) were covered by own funds.'