Buchhandlung zum Wetzstein

Buchhandlung zum Wetzstein is an independent, owner-run bookshop in the historic old town of Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany. It occupies the ground floor of the Haus zum Wetzstein at Salzstraße 31, a building whose history reaches back to the 12th century and whose name derives from Bastian Wetzstein (Derrer), a University of Freiburg professor who owned and remodelled the house in the 16th century. The bookshop itself is a much younger institution: the first bookshop in the building was opened in 1921 by Karl Ehrmann, and the present business was founded on 14 July 1978 by Thomas and Susanne Bader together with Herbert Placzek, who took over the premises after the closure of Rombach Exlibris. The shop trades as a classic full-range independent bookstore, offering general books and a curated programme that includes a monthly "Book of the Month" feature and other offers highlighted on its website. Its identity is closely tied to its historic setting: a renovation completed in 2020 removed many 1970s fittings and re-exposed the building's historic fabric, so that the retail space now displays the medieval and early modern structure of the house. Ownership has remained personal and local. Susanne Bader, the last of the founding partners, took over sole management in 2014 and continues to run the shop. In 2024 the Buchhandlung zum Wetzstein received the German Book Trade Prize (Deutscher Buchhandelspreis) as one of five "particularly outstanding bookshops" in Germany, a recognition that reflects both its curated bookselling and its distinctive architectural setting. The shop has also appeared in books about Europe's most beautiful bookshops, including Rainer Moritz's Die schönsten Buchhandlungen Europas.

The bookshop takes its name from the Haus zum Wetzstein, a building at Salzstraße 31 in Freiburg's historic old town whose history reaches back to the 12th century. The house is named after Bastian Wetzstein (Derrer), a professor at the University of Freiburg who demonstrably owned the house in 1539 and had it remodelled; before him it belonged to figures including Sebastian von Blumeneck, a Münsterpfleger at Freiburg Minster. After Wetzstein's death in 1541 the ownership record becomes unclear until 1775, when the house became the joinery of Johann Adam Bretz. After roughly a century as a joinery, it passed to a blacksmith; after his death ownership changed again, and in 1874 the first shop is documented in the Wetzstein — the Bernhard Bauer plastering business. Two years later a manufacturer of haberdashery and confection followed, and similar businesses succeeded one another. The first bookshop in the building was opened in 1921 by Karl Ehrmann. He and later his wife ran the bookshop and passed it on to their children. In 1968 Fritz Hodeige, publisher and editor of the Badische Zeitung, acquired the bookshop. After a conversion in 1970, the Buchhandlung Rombach (Bücher Rombach/Rombach Exlibris) opened there. After Rombach opened Germany's first large bookshop on Bertoldstraße, Rombach Exlibris was closed. Thomas and Susanne Bader, together with Herbert Placzek, used this change to open an owner-run bookshop under its present name, which opened on 14 July 1978. In 2014 Susanne Bader, the last of the co-founders, took over management and in 2020 renovated the bookshop. Many of the 1970s fittings were removed and the historic building fabric was re-exposed. In 2024 the bookshop was awarded the German Book Trade Prize (Deutscher Buchhandelspreis) as one of five "particularly outstanding bookshops". The shop has also been featured in Rainer Moritz's Die schönsten Buchhandlungen Europas and in articles such as Christine Reinke's "Das werden Sie sonst nirgends finden" in Buchreport.

• 2024

  Awarded the German Book Trade Prize as one of five outstanding bookshops

• 2020

  The bookshop is renovated; 1970s fittings are removed and historic fabric re-exposed

• 2014

  Susanne Bader, the last co-founder, takes over management

• 1978

  Thomas and Susanne Bader with Herbert Placzek open the owner-run Buchhandlung zum Wetzstein on 14 July

• 1970

  After a conversion, Buchhandlung Rombach (Rombach Exlibris) opens in the premises

• 1968

  Fritz Hodeige, publisher and editor of the Badische Zeitung, acquires the bookshop

• 1921

  Karl Ehrmann opens the first bookshop in the building

• 1874

  First shop documented in the Wetzstein: the Bernhard Bauer plastering business

• 1539

  Bastian Wetzstein (Derrer) demonstrably owns and remodels the house that gives the bookshop its name

Owner-run, curated independent bookshop in a historic building; recognised as one of Germany's outstanding bookshops.

• General trade books

• Book of the Month feature

1. 1Start - Buchhandlung zum Wetzsteinzum-wetzstein.de
2. 2Buchhandlung zum Wetzsteinde.wikipedia.org
3. 3Wikidata Q136029646wikidata.org