Franz Eher Nachfolger

Franz Eher Nachfolger, generally known as the Eher-Verlag, was a German publishing company that became the principal publishing arm of the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP). Although the company was registered under the name of Franz Xaver Josef Eher in Munich in 1901, its origins lay in the Münchener Beobachter, founded in 1887. After Eher's death in 1918, Rudolf von Sebottendorf took control and reorganized the business as a limited-liability company in September 1919, partly to protect it from insolvency. The company acquired its decisive political importance in December 1920, when the Nazi Party purchased it with financial backing associated with Franz Ritter von Epp. The acquisition gave Adolf Hitler and the party control of the financially troubled Völkischer Beobachter, an important nationalist newspaper that became the NSDAP's principal daily propaganda organ. Max Amann assumed responsibility for the publishing operation, while Alfred Rosenberg became editor of the newspaper. Hitler later acquired the remaining shares on behalf of the party during the early 1920s. After the Nazi seizure of power in 1933, Eher-Verlag expanded from a party publisher into the central economic institution of the regime's press and publishing system. It published or controlled major newspapers and periodicals, including the Völkischer Beobachter, the illustrated news magazine Illustrierter Beobachter, the satirical weekly Die Brennessel, and the listings publication N.S.-Funk. Its catalogue also included books, maps, songbooks, calendars, political literature, and military and nationalist works. The company was the publisher of Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf from 1925 onward, issuing numerous editions that reached millions of copies and made the title one of the most prominent publishing products of the Nazi era. Eher-Verlag's growth was closely tied to the coercive restructuring of the German press. Max Amann simultaneously held senior state and party positions, including Reich Press Leader and president of the Reich Press Chamber. Under this system, newspapers and publishing concerns that did not conform to Nazi policy could be pressured, expropriated, or forced into sale. Eher-Verlag frequently acquired such assets at auctions in which it was effectively the only serious bidder. During the 1930s it obtained interests in parts of the Alfred Hugenberg publishing empire and in other publishing businesses. By the 1940s, these acquisitions had made it one of the largest newspaper and publishing groups operating under the Nazi regime. The company's main premises were in Munich, with later offices or branches in Berlin, Vienna, and other Munich locations. Rolf Rienhardt served as chief administrator from 1933 to 1943, followed by Wilhelm Baur, who remained in charge until the end of the Second World War. Eher-Verlag's commercial activities cannot be separated from its role in disseminating Nazi ideology, glorifying the regime, and supporting wartime propaganda. The publisher was closed on 29 October 1945 under Allied Control Council Law No. 2, which provided for the termination and liquidation of Nazi organizations. Its buildings and intellectual property, including the rights associated with Mein Kampf, were transferred to the state of Bavaria. The company was formally liquidated in 1952 and has not operated as an active publishing brand since then.

Franz Eher Nachfolger originated in the Münchener Beobachter, a Munich publishing venture founded on 2 January 1887. Franz Xaver Josef Eher later registered the firm under his name in the Munich Handelsregister on 2 December 1901. The business was comparatively unimportant until Eher's death in 1918, when Rudolf von Sebottendorf assumed control. On 30 September 1919, Sebottendorf converted the business into a limited-liability company in an effort to prevent its collapse under debt. The company's fortunes changed when the Nazi Party sought control of the debt-ridden Völkischer Beobachter. With funds associated with Franz Ritter von Epp, the party acquired Franz Eher Nachfolger on 17 December 1920 for 115,000 Papiermark. The purchase allowed Adolf Hitler to secure the publisher of the party's principal newspaper. Max Amann took over the publishing responsibilities, Alfred Rosenberg became editor of the Völkischer Beobachter, and Hitler subsequently acquired the remaining shares for the NSDAP during the early 1920s. During the party's rise, Eher-Verlag served as both a publishing business and an instrument of political organization. Its catalogue included newspapers, magazines, political works, novels, maps, songbooks, and calendars. The company published the Völkischer Beobachter and Illustrierter Beobachter, as well as the satirical weekly Die Brennessel and the listings publication N.S.-Funk. Beginning in 1925, it published Hitler's Mein Kampf in successive editions. The book became a major source of revenue and ideological influence for the Nazi movement, with editions distributed in the millions. The Nazi seizure of state power in 1933 transformed Eher-Verlag into the regime's central party publisher. All major party literature was routed through the company, and its business expanded through a combination of political privilege, administrative control, and the forced restructuring of the German press. Max Amann was particularly important to this growth because he combined leadership of Eher-Verlag with the offices of Reich Press Leader and president of the Reich Press Chamber. In those state roles, he helped impose political conformity on the press. Newspapers and publishing companies that resisted Nazi demands could be expropriated or pressured into sale, after which Eher-Verlag often acquired them at highly favorable prices and in auctions where it was the only effective bidder. The company acquired interests in portions of the Alfred Hugenberg concerns and in other publishing houses during the 1930s. By the 1940s it had become one of the largest newspaper chains in the world under the conditions of the Nazi dictatorship. Its principal headquarters stood at Thierschstraße 11–17 in Munich, with branches in Berlin, Vienna, and other Munich locations. Rolf Rienhardt served as chief administrator between 1933 and 1943, followed by Wilhelm Baur, who remained in office until the war ended. Eher-Verlag's publications supported Nazi racial doctrine, political mobilization, leadership cult, and military propaganda. Its commercial success was therefore inseparable from censorship, state coercion, and the suppression of independent publishers. The company ceased operations after Germany's defeat. On 29 October 1945 it was closed under Law No. 2 of the Allied Control Council, which mandated the termination and liquidation of Nazi organizations. The publisher's buildings and intellectual property, including the rights connected with Mein Kampf, were transferred to the state of Bavaria. Formal liquidation followed in 1952. Franz Eher Nachfolger is consequently a defunct historical publishing entity rather than a continuing commercial brand.

• 1952

  Formal liquidation

  [1]Franz Eher Nachfolgeren.wikipedia.org

  The legal liquidation of Franz Eher Nachfolger is completed.

• 1945

  Publisher closed by Allied authorities

  [1]Franz Eher Nachfolgeren.wikipedia.org

  The company is closed on 29 October under Allied Control Council Law No. 2, and its assets are transferred to Bavaria.

• 1933

  Becomes the central Nazi party publisher

  [1]Franz Eher Nachfolgeren.wikipedia.org

  After the Nazi takeover of Germany, Eher-Verlag becomes the main publisher for party literature and expands its press holdings.

• 1925

  Eher-Verlag begins publishing Mein Kampf

  [1]Franz Eher Nachfolgeren.wikipedia.org

  The company publishes Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf and continues issuing editions through the Nazi period.

• 1920

  NSDAP acquires the publisher

  [1]Franz Eher Nachfolgeren.wikipedia.org

  The Nazi Party purchases the company on 17 December for 115,000 Papiermark, securing control of the Völkischer Beobachter.

• 1919

  Company reorganized as a limited-liability firm

  [1]Franz Eher Nachfolgeren.wikipedia.org

  Rudolf von Sebottendorf restructures the business as a GmbH on 30 September in an effort to avoid bankruptcy.

• 1901

  Firm registered under Franz Eher's name

  [1]Franz Eher Nachfolgeren.wikipedia.org

  Franz Xaver Josef Eher registers the business in the Munich Handelsregister on 2 December.

• 1887

  Münchener Beobachter is founded

  [1]Franz Eher Nachfolgeren.wikipedia.org

  The publishing venture that later became Franz Eher Nachfolger begins operation in Munich under the name Münchener Beobachter.

The central publishing and press enterprise of the Nazi Party, combining commercial publishing with political propaganda and control of the regime's newspaper system.

• Newspaper

  Völkischer Beobachter

  The NSDAP's principal newspaper and one of Eher-Verlag's most important assets. It served as a major vehicle for Nazi political messaging, party announcements, ideological advocacy, and wartime propaganda.

• Illustrated periodical

  Illustrierter Beobachter

  An illustrated publication associated with the Eher-Verlag press portfolio. Its format enabled the publisher to present Nazi political themes, personalities, and events through photographs and visual reportage.

• Political book · 1925

  Mein Kampf

  Adolf Hitler's ideological and autobiographical work, published by Eher-Verlag from 1925 in numerous editions. It became one of the company's most commercially significant and politically influential titles, circulating in millions of copies during the Nazi era.

• Satirical weekly magazine

  Die Brennessel

  A weekly satirical magazine published within the Nazi Party's media system. Its satire was directed against political opponents and other targets selected by Nazi propaganda priorities.

• Listings magazine

  N.S.-Funk

  A listings publication in the Eher-Verlag periodical portfolio, reflecting the company's broad involvement in party-aligned and mass-market print publishing.

• 1945

  Closure and liquidation under Allied lawOther

  Background

  Following Germany's defeat, the Allied authorities moved to dissolve Nazi organizations and remove their institutional assets.

  Action taken

  Eher-Verlag was closed on 29 October 1945 under Allied Control Council Law No. 2, and its buildings and intellectual property were transferred to Bavaria.

  Aftermath

  The company was formally liquidated in 1952 and did not resume publishing.

  Source

• 1933

  Expansion into the central Nazi press enterpriseStrategy

  Background

  The Nazi seizure of state power created an environment in which independent publishers could be pressured, expropriated, or forced to conform to regime policy.

  Action taken

  Eher-Verlag became the principal publisher of Nazi Party literature and expanded by acquiring interests in other newspaper and publishing businesses, including parts of the Alfred Hugenberg concerns.

  Aftermath

  By the 1940s, the company had become one of the largest newspaper chains operating under the Nazi regime.

  Source

• 1920

  Acquisition by the NSDAPM&A

  Background

  The Nazi Party needed control of the financially troubled Völkischer Beobachter and acquired its publisher, Franz Eher Nachfolger, with financial backing associated with Franz Ritter von Epp.

  Action taken

  The party purchased the company on 17 December 1920 for 115,000 Papiermark. Adolf Hitler later acquired the remaining shares on behalf of the party.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition created the organizational base for the Nazi Party's later newspaper chain and central publishing operation.

  Acquisition price. 115,000 Papiermark (17 December 1920)

  Source

1. 1Franz Eher Nachfolgeren.wikipedia.org