Paul Spiegel was born on December 31, 1937 in Warendorf in Münsterland.

After fleeing from the Nazis to Brussels in 1938, the family returned to Warendorf after the Second World War and helped to rebuild the synagogue.

After a traineeship at the Allgemeine Jüdische Wochenzeitung in Düsseldorf, he worked as an editor of various magazines and as a journalist in the 1960s.

After two years as editor-in-chief of the magazine "Mode und Wohnen", he was head of public relations at the Rheinischer Sparkassen- und Giroverband for twelve years. In 1986, he founded a successful artist and media agency.

Parallel to his professional life, he was committed to the German Jewish community throughout his life. From 1989, he was a member of the Board of Directors of the Central Council of Jews. He succeeded Ignatz Bubis as President of this organization until his death on 30 April 2006.

During his term of office, he presented his autobiography in the Hessian state capital on December 2, 2001. At a reception in the town hall the following day, Spiegel signed the city's Golden Book.