Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels

The Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels e. V. is the umbrella association of the German book industry, representing the interests of booksellers, publishers, wholesalers and other media companies in the political and public spheres. Founded in Leipzig in 1825, it is today headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. As both a trade association and a cultural organisation, it works to promote books and reading, fair copyright laws and the preservation of Germany's fixed book price policy. It runs the annual Frankfurt Book Fair and awards the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, the German Book Prize and the German Non-Fiction Prize, and it leads the Börsenverein Group, which includes subsidiaries such as Frankfurt Book Fair, MVB GmbH and mediacampus frankfurt.

The Börsenverein der Deutschen Buchhändler zu Leipzig was founded on 30 April 1825. It was initially a pure rationalisation institution for continuing the Börse, but soon developed into a representation of the interests of the entire profession, including the fight against state censorship and reprinting, advocacy for copyright legislation transcending state borders, and support for fixed book prices. In 1836 publishers and booksellers moved into their Buchhändler-Börse in Leipzig. The founding of the Deutsche Bücherei in Leipzig in 1912 and the Deutsche Bibliothek in Frankfurt am Main in 1947 go back to initiatives of the Börsenverein. After Adolf Hitler was appointed Reich Chancellor on 30 January 1933, the Gesamtvorstand of the Börsenverein der Deutschen Buchhändler zu Leipzig presented an "Sofortprogramm" dated 12 April 1933, in which the Börsenverein ingratiated itself with the new rulers while seeking to use the favourable moment to push through its own political and economic interests, including the desire to transform the Börsenverein into a "Zwangsorganisation" of the book trade and to eliminate unwelcome competitors such as book clubs, department stores and lending libraries. Today the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels e. V. is the umbrella association of the German book industry, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, and leads the Börsenverein Group.

Trade association and cultural organisation representing the German book industry and promoting books, reading, copyright and fixed book prices.

1. 1Bundesverband - Börsenvereinboersenverein.de
2. 2Geschichte des Börsenvereins - Börsenvereinboersenverein.de
3. 3Über uns - Börsenvereinboersenverein.de
4. 4About us - Börsenvereinboersenverein.de