Bruno's
Bruno Gmünder Verlag was a Berlin-based publisher and gay male lifestyle media company that later developed into the Bruno's retail business.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Bruno Gmünder Verlag was a German publishing and media business founded in Berlin in 1981 by Bruno Gmünder and Christian von Maltzahn. It grew out of the founders' involvement with Eisenherz, a Berlin bookshop established with von Maltzahn's help in 1978. The company was created at a time when gay men in Germany had relatively limited access to culturally affirmative books, magazines, travel information and commercial products. Rather than primarily producing educational material about homosexuality, the founders sought to create media that gay readers themselves lacked: books and publications that reflected gay life, supported self-confidence and served practical lifestyle needs. The company initially operated as a book publisher under the name Bruno Gmünder Verlag. Its portfolio later expanded into periodicals, travel publishing, visual books, retail and related products aimed principally at gay men. The best-known publication associated with the business was Männer, a German gay male lifestyle magazine. Another major asset was the Spartacus International Gay Guide, a travel guide for gay men that the company acquired in 1986. The guide became one of the most commercially successful publications of its kind internationally and helped establish the company as a significant global specialist publisher in gay male travel and lifestyle media. The Spartacus title also carried serious historical and editorial controversy. Before its acquisition, the guide had experienced financial difficulties and had been criticized because material in earlier editions could be used by individuals seeking access to children in developing countries. Under Bruno Gmünder, the most openly pro-paedophilia material was substantially reduced, although criticism continued concerning aspects of the guide during the late 1980s and early 1990s. This history forms an important part of the publication's legacy and of the wider debates surrounding gay publishing in that period. Beyond publishing, the company developed a broader commercial ecosystem. Its retail operations sold fashion and adult products, and the business eventually operated several Bruno's outlets. In 2012, the Bruno Gmünder Group also offered a €15,000 reward for information leading to the investigation and conviction of the operators of kreuz.net, a clandestine right-wing extremist and homophobic website that claimed a Catholic identity. The initiative, coordinated by theologian David Berger under the name Stoppt kreuz.net, attracted support from Austrian and Swiss bishops but not from the German Bishops' Conference. The company entered bankruptcy proceedings in 2014 and was subsequently restructured and acquired by lawyer and private investor Frank Zahn, with Bruno Gmünder remaining a minority shareholder. Following Zahn's unexpected death in February 2017, the business again entered bankruptcy. Bruno Gmünder Verlag was dissolved in 2017. Its retail business and four shops continued as Bruno's GmbH, while the publishing division was sold to Salzgeber & Co. Medien GmbH in September 2018 and subsequently incorporated into Männerschwarm Verlag. The original legal entity and publishing house are therefore defunct, although elements of its publishing and retail activity continued under successor organizations.
History
Bruno Gmünder Verlag was founded in Berlin in 1981 by Bruno Gmünder and Christian von Maltzahn. The founders had previously been connected with Eisenherz, a gay bookshop opened in Berlin in November 1978 with von Maltzahn's assistance. Their publishing project responded to a perceived shortage of media made for gay readers and was deliberately framed as an affirmative cultural and commercial enterprise rather than an instructional publisher about homosexuality. The company began as a book publisher and gradually expanded into magazines, travel publishing, visual material and retail. Its most prominent magazine was Männer, a German gay male lifestyle title. In 1986, the business acquired the Spartacus International Gay Guide after the guide's previous owner, John D. Stamford, encountered financial difficulties. The guide became a leading international travel reference for gay men and one of the company's most recognizable products. Its earlier history included material criticized for potentially facilitating the abuse of children in developing countries. Bruno Gmünder removed much of the explicitly pro-paedophilia content, although researchers and critics continued to identify problematic elements in editions published during 1987–1994. The company later operated as a wider group combining publishing with retail. Its Bruno's business sold fashion and adult products and eventually operated four shops. In 2012, the group offered a €15,000 reward connected with efforts to identify and prosecute the operators of kreuz.net, a secretive homophobic and right-wing extremist website that presented itself as Catholic. David Berger coordinated the associated Stoppt kreuz.net initiative. The German Bishops' Conference declined to support the campaign, while bishops in Austria and Switzerland later backed it. Financial pressure led to bankruptcy in 2014. The company was restructured and acquired by Frank Zahn, a lawyer and private investor; Bruno Gmünder became a minority shareholder. A separate controversy arose in late 2014 after allegations that David Berger, then editor-in-chief of Männer, had minimized the Holocaust in posts that were later removed. Deutsche AIDS-Hilfe withdrew advertising from the magazine, and the publisher initially defended Berger. After criticism, Berger was dismissed without notice on February 1, 2015. Zahn's unexpected death in February 2017 was followed by another bankruptcy. The publishing house was dissolved during the resulting breakup of the business. The retail activity and four shops continued as Bruno's GmbH. The publishing division was sold to Salzgeber & Co. Medien GmbH in September 2018 and subsequently merged into Männerschwarm Verlag. Thus, Bruno Gmünder Verlag no longer operates as an independent legal entity, but its publications, editorial history and retail heritage remain part of the development of German and international gay male media.
- 2018
Publishing division transferred to Salzgeber
[1]Salzgeber & Co. Medien GmbH acquired the publishing division, which was later merged into Männerschwarm Verlag.
- 2017
Dissolution after second bankruptcy
[1]Following Frank Zahn's death and renewed insolvency, the original Bruno Gmünder Verlag entity was dissolved.
- 2014
First bankruptcy and restructuring
[1]The company filed for bankruptcy and was acquired during restructuring by Frank Zahn.
- 2012
Stoppt kreuz.net reward campaign
[1]The group offered a €15,000 reward for information leading to the investigation and conviction of kreuz.net operators.
- 2011
Majority ownership changes
[1]Bruno Gmünder's majority ownership ended by 2011.
- 1986
Spartacus International Gay Guide acquired
[1]The company acquired the gay male travel guide from its previous owner and developed it into a major international publishing property.
- 1981
Bruno Gmünder Verlag founded
[1]Bruno Gmünder and Christian von Maltzahn founded the Berlin publishing house.
- 1978
Eisenherz bookshop opens in Berlin
[1]Christian von Maltzahn helped establish the Eisenherz bookshop, the commercial and cultural setting from which the later publishing venture developed.
Products and positioning
A specialist publisher and lifestyle business serving gay men, positioned around affirmative representation, community identity, travel information, culture, fashion and adult retail.
Gay male lifestyle magazine
Männer
Männer was the company's best-known German-language gay male lifestyle magazine. It combined cultural, social and lifestyle coverage with commercial media aimed at gay men. The title also became associated with editorial controversy after allegations concerning statements by editor-in-chief David Berger in 2014.
Travel guide
Spartacus International Gay Guide
The Spartacus International Gay Guide was a travel reference for gay men covering destinations, venues and practical travel information. Acquired by Bruno Gmünder in 1986, it became the company's most internationally recognized publishing property and was described as the world's best-selling guide of its type. Earlier editions had attracted criticism for problematic content, which was substantially reduced under Bruno Gmünder.
Fashion and adult retail
Bruno's retail shops
The retail division extended the business beyond publishing by selling fashion, adult toys and related merchandise to gay male consumers. After the publisher was dissolved, the retail division and four outlets continued as Bruno's GmbH.
Controversies
2014
Controversy involving Männer editor David Berger
Posts attributed to David Berger, editor-in-chief of Männer, were alleged to minimize the Holocaust. Deutsche AIDS-Hilfe withdrew advertising, the publisher initially defended Berger, and Berger was dismissed without notice on February 1, 2015.
1986
Controversy surrounding earlier Spartacus guide content
The Spartacus guide had a history of financial and editorial problems before Bruno Gmünder acquired it, including material that critics said could facilitate the sexual abuse of children in developing countries. Bruno Gmünder reduced the explicitly pro-paedophilia content, but criticism continued regarding some aspects of editions published from 1987 to 1994.
Marketing campaigns
- 2012Stoppt kreuz.net
Germany · Austria · Switzerland
The Bruno Gmünder Group offered a €15,000 reward for information that would help investigators identify and secure convictions against operators of kreuz.net, a homophobic and right-wing extremist website. The campaign was coordinated by David Berger, who also sought support from Catholic bishops.
Outcome. The German Bishops' Conference declined to support the initiative, while Austrian and Swiss bishops later expressed support.
Brand decisions
2018
Transfer of publishing divisionM&ABackground
Following the dissolution of the original company, its publishing and retail activities were separated.
Action taken
Salzgeber & Co. Medien GmbH acquired the publishing division, which was later merged into Männerschwarm Verlag.
Aftermath
Publishing assets and editorial continuity moved to successor publishers, while the retail operations continued separately as Bruno's GmbH.
2014
Restructure after bankruptcyOtherBackground
The company entered bankruptcy proceedings amid financial pressure.
Action taken
Frank Zahn acquired and restructured the business, with Bruno Gmünder retaining a minority shareholding.
Aftermath
The company later faced a second bankruptcy after Zahn's death in 2017.
1986
Acquire and develop the Spartacus guideStrategyBackground
The company sought to expand from book publishing into internationally useful gay male lifestyle and travel media.
Action taken
It acquired the Spartacus International Gay Guide and developed it into a major international title while reducing explicitly pro-paedophilia material inherited from earlier editions.
Aftermath
The guide became one of the company's strongest global publishing properties, although its earlier content continued to attract criticism.
Sources2 sources
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