Martin Werhand Verlag
Martin Werhand Verlag is a German independent publishing house focused on contemporary literature, poetry, and literary anthologies.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Martin Werhand Verlag is a German publishing house based in Rhineland-Palatinate and centered on contemporary literature, with a particular emphasis on poetry and anthology publishing. The company was established in April 1997 by Martin Werhand, a German philologist, author, and editor. Its early literary development was connected with the universities of Bonn and Cologne, where the concept for the Junge Lyrik anthology project emerged. Between 1999 and 2002, the publisher released three volumes of Junge Lyrik. Each volume brought together 750 poems by 50 young authors who had not previously published widely. The series gave the publisher a platform for presenting emerging poetic voices and was linked to public readings in German cities including Essen, Bonn, and Cologne. A reading associated with the series was organized by Thalia, through its Münster-based Poertgen Herder operation, on World Book Day on 23 April 2003. The publisher's work has also extended beyond conventional books and readings. In 2006, Bremen's public transport operator Bremer Straßenbahn AG initiated Poetry in Motion, or Poesie bewegt, a visual poetry project that featured contemporary poems by a number of Martin Werhand Verlag authors. This placed the publisher's literary output in a public-transport and urban-cultural setting rather than limiting it to bookstores and literary venues. From 2014 onward, Martin Werhand Verlag developed further poetry series, including 100 Gedichte. At the 2016 Frankfurt Book Fair, it presented newer series such as 50 zeitlose Gedichte and 50 Gedichte. The publisher's anthology model has also provided a route into wider literary circulation: the reference material states that established houses including Reclam Verlag and Thienemann Verlag later selected works by authors who had appeared in Martin Werhand Verlag anthologies. The publisher's author community includes poets, novelists, playwrights, translators, performers, academics, journalists, and musicians. More than one quarter of the approximately 150 published authors are described as having an immigrant background, with family origins spanning numerous European, Asian, and African countries. This diversity is part of the publisher's stated cultural profile, which is associated with tolerance, integration, openness, and a literary reflection of contemporary German society. Among the authors associated with the house are Angela Litschev, Patric Hemgesberg, Christian Jahl, Georgia Doll, Meinolf Finke, Renate Freund, Mario Ramos, Vera Ludwig, Thomas Bruns, Daniel Dölschner, Ann Catrin Apstein-Müller, Daniela Frickel, Florian Cieslik, Andrea Heuser, Peter Wayand, Werner Moskopp, Thorsten Libotte, Thomas Wensing, Frank Findeiß, and Simone Roßkamp. The available reference material does not establish the publisher's current ownership, management, financial scale, or operational status.
History
Martin Werhand Verlag was founded in April 1997 by Martin Werhand, a German philologist, author, and editor. The publisher developed from a literary and academic environment associated with the University of Bonn and the University of Cologne. Its first major publishing initiative was the Junge Lyrik anthology project, which began to take shape in the late 1990s. From 1999 through 2002, the house published Junge Lyrik, Junge Lyrik II, and Junge Lyrik III. Each anthology contained 750 poems written by 50 young, previously unpublished authors. The project was supported by readings in several German cities, including Essen, Bonn, and Cologne, and established the publisher's identity as a platform for emerging poetic voices. On World Book Day, 23 April 2003, Thalia organized a reading connected with the Junge Lyrik project through its Poertgen Herder operation in Münster. In 2006, Bremer Straßenbahn AG, under the direction of Joachim Tuz, launched Poetry in Motion, also known as Poesie bewegt. The visual poetry initiative used contemporary poems by several Martin Werhand Verlag authors in a public-transport setting. The project broadened the ways in which the publisher's poetry could reach audiences and connected book publishing with urban cultural communication. The publisher introduced the 100 Gedichte poetry series in 2014. It later presented additional series, including 50 zeitlose Gedichte and 50 Gedichte, at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2016. The available reference material also indicates that larger literary publishers such as Reclam Verlag and Thienemann Verlag subsequently drew on the authorship represented in Martin Werhand Verlag anthologies when selecting material for their own collections. The house has published a broad group of literary figures, including poets, fiction writers, playwrights, translators, scholars, actors, musicians, and journalists. The reference material identifies approximately 150 published authors and states that more than 25 percent have an immigrant background. Their family origins include countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa. This demographic profile is presented as a reflection of German society and as part of the publisher's commitment to tolerance, integration, and openness. The available sources provide substantial information about the publisher's literary projects and cultural orientation but do not document its current ownership, management structure, revenue, employee count, or confirmed present-day operating status.
- 2016
New poetry series presented at Frankfurt Book Fair
[1]The publisher presented series including 50 zeitlose Gedichte and 50 Gedichte at the Frankfurt Book Fair.
- 2014
100 Gedichte series introduced
[1]Martin Werhand Verlag began its 100 Gedichte poetry series.
- 2006
Poetry in Motion project
[1]Bremer Straßenbahn AG launched a visual poetry project featuring works by authors associated with Martin Werhand Verlag.
- 2003
World Book Day reading
[1]Thalia organized a Junge Lyrik reading in Münster on 23 April, World Book Day.
- 2002
Junge Lyrik anthology sequence completed
[1]The publisher completed the three-volume Junge Lyrik sequence, with each volume presenting 750 poems by 50 authors.
- 1999
First Junge Lyrik anthology
[1]The first Junge Lyrik volume was published as an anthology of poetry by young, previously unpublished authors.
- 1997
Publisher founded
[1]Martin Werhand founded the publishing house in April 1997 in Germany.
Products and positioning
An independent German literary publisher positioned around contemporary poetry, anthology-based discovery of new authors, cultural diversity, and public engagement with literature.
Poetry anthology · 1999
Junge Lyrik
A three-volume anthology project published from 1999 to 2002. The series collected contemporary poems from young and previously unpublished writers, with 750 poems by 50 authors in each volume. Its publication was accompanied by readings in German cities and helped establish the publisher's focus on discovering and presenting new poetic voices.
Poetry series · 2014
100 Gedichte
A poetry series launched by the publisher in 2014. The available source identifies the series as part of Martin Werhand Verlag's later program of curated contemporary poetry collections, but does not provide a complete bibliography or detailed editorial specification.
Poetry anthology series · 2016
50 zeitlose Gedichte
A poetry series presented by Martin Werhand Verlag at the 2016 Frankfurt Book Fair. Its title indicates a focus on enduring or timeless poems, although the available reference material does not specify the full list of volumes, contributors, or publication schedule.
Poetry anthology series · 2016
50 Gedichte
A poetry series presented at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2016 alongside 50 zeitlose Gedichte. Further details about individual titles and authors are not established by the supplied sources.
Marketing campaigns
- 2006Poetry in Motion (Poesie bewegt)
Germany · Bremen
Bremer Straßenbahn AG created a visual poetry project using contemporary poems by several Martin Werhand Verlag authors in a public-transport environment.
Outcome. The project extended the publisher's literary presence into urban public space and transportation.
- 2003Junge Lyrik World Book Day reading
Germany
Thalia organized a public reading connected with the Junge Lyrik anthology series in Münster on World Book Day, 23 April 2003.
Outcome. The event gave the anthology project a prominent bookstore-based public presentation.
Brand decisions
2016
Presented additional poetry seriesProduct launchBackground
The publisher continued expanding its poetry anthology program.
Action taken
It presented 50 zeitlose Gedichte and 50 Gedichte at the Frankfurt Book Fair.
Aftermath
The presentation increased the visibility of the publisher's later poetry program within the book trade, although the supplied sources do not document subsequent sales or distribution results.
2014
Launched the 100 Gedichte seriesProduct launchBackground
After its earlier Junge Lyrik anthologies, the publisher continued developing curated poetry series.
Action taken
Martin Werhand Verlag introduced 100 Gedichte.
Aftermath
The series was followed by further poetry formats presented at the 2016 Frankfurt Book Fair.
1999
Adopted an emerging-author anthology modelStrategyBackground
The publisher's early program developed through the Junge Lyrik project associated with the universities of Bonn and Cologne.
Action taken
It published large-format poetry anthologies featuring young authors who had not previously published widely.
Aftermath
The model became a defining part of the publisher's identity and was supported by readings in German cities.
Sources2 sources
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