The Brockhaus Enzyklopädie is a German-language encyclopedia published by Brockhaus.
The first edition originated in the Conversations-Lexikon mit vorzüglicher Rücksicht auf die gegenwärtigen Zeiten by Renatus Gotthelf Löbel and Christian Wilhelm Franke, published in Leipzig 1796-1808. Paralleling other 18th century encyclopedias, the scope was expanded beyond that of earlier publications, in an effort to become comprehensive. This Lexikon included geography, history, and in part biography, as well as the more typical mythology, philosophy, natural history, and so on.
The current[update] 21st edition contained about 300,000 entries on 24,000 pages, with about 35,000 maps, graphics and tables. It is the largest German language printed encyclopedia in the 21st century. A digital multimedia encyclopedia based on the Brockhaus Enzyklopädie is available under the name Brockhaus Multimedial Premium, which is similar to Microsoft Encarta.
In February 2008, Brockhaus said that they might never again publish a print edition.[1] This announcement briefly boosted print sales again and plans to switch to an on-line only edition were canceled. [2] However, in 2009 Bibliographisches Institut & F.A. Brockhaus AG (Bifab) sold the Brockhaus brand to Bertelsmann (renamed themselves to Bibliographisches Institut AG), and sacked 50 employees of its Leipzig-based editorial staff, a move that was widely interpreted as the end of Brockhaus Enzyklopädie, caused by the competition of Internet-based reference works such as Wikipedia.[2]
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History
In 1808, the rights to the publication were bought by Friedrich Arnold Brockhaus, who paid 1,800 thalers. Thirteen editions were issued during the 19th century. The articles, often very brief, were considered excellent and trustworthy, especially on German subjects, gave references to the best books, and included biographies of living men.
At first the name of the encyclopedia remained Konversationslexikon or Allgemeine deutsche Real-Encyklopädie für die gebildeten Stände; only with the 13th edition did the name Brockhaus appear in the title, and the present edition is titled Brockhaus Enzyklopädie.
Christian Wilhelm Franke was to finish vol. vi of the Leipzig publication by December 1808, and the already projected supplement, in 2 volumes, by 1811. Brockhaus himself edited the 2nd edition (1812-1819, 10 vols.), and, when vol. iv was published, the 3rd (1814-1819). Dr. Ludwig Ham assisted in editing the 4th and 5th editions until he left Leipzig in April 1820, when Professor F.C. Hasse took his place. Brockhaus died in 1823, and his two eldest sons, Friedrich and Heinrich, edited the 6th edition with Hasse's assistance in September 1823. Hasse edited the 7th edition. Dr. Karl August Espe edited the 8th and 9th editions.
Dr. August Kurtzel, aided by Oskar Pilz, edited the 10th edition, assisted by Heinrich Edward Brockhaus, and Heinrich Rudolf Brockhaus, the younger son, assisted in the 11th edition. Kurtzel died on April 24, 1871, and Pilz was sole editor until March 1872, when Dr. Gustav Stockmann joined, who was alone from April until joined by Dr. Karl Wippermann in October.
On February 13, 2008, Brockhaus announced that it would switch its business, starting April 15, 2008, to the internet due to the disappointing sales figures of the 21st edition of the Brockhaus Enzyklopädie, making the content of the encyclopedia available online, supported by Internet advertising revenues.[3]
Impact
"No work of reference has been more useful and successful, or more frequently copied, imitated and translated, than that known as the Conversations-Lexikon of Brockhaus," wrote the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica.[4] The work was intended, not for scientific use, but to promote general intellectual improvement by giving the results of research and discovery in a simple and popular form without extended details. This format, a contrast to the Encyclopædia Britannica, was widely imitated by later 19th century encyclopedias in Britain and the United States. The seventh edition of the Conversations-Lexikon formed the basis of the Encyclopedia Americana (1829-1833), the first significant American encyclopedia.
In 2009, Brockhaus had a brand recognition of 93% in Germany.[2]
Edition history
- 1st (1796-1808)
- 2nd (1812-1819)
- 3rd (1814-1815)
- 4th (1817-1819)
- 5th (1819-1820)
- 6th (1824)
- 7th (1827)
- 8th (1833-1837)
- 9th (1843-1848)
- 10th (1851-1855)
- 11th (1864-1868)
- 12th (1875-1879)
- 13th (1882-1887) Brockhaus Conversations-Lexikon
- 14th (1892-1895) Brockhaus Konversations-Lexikon
- 15th (1928-1935) Der Große Brockhaus
- 16th (1952-1957) Der Große Brockhaus
- 17th (1966-1974) Brockhaus Enzyklopädie
- 18th (1977-1981) Der Große Brockhaus
- 19th (1986-1994) Brockhaus Enzyklopädie
- 20th (1996-1999) Brockhaus Die Enzyklopädie
- 21st (2005-2006) Brockhaus Enzyklopädie (starting fall 2005)
- (2007) Special edition of the 21st edition, with book design by Armin Mueller-Stahl (starting fall 2007)
See also
References
- ^ Noam Cohen, "Start Writing the Eulogies for Print Encyclopedias", New York Times, March 16, 2008
- ^ a b c Marc Neller: Brockhaus beerdigt seine Enzyklopädie Handelsblatt online, 22 July 2009
- ^ Financial Times Deutschland (2008-02-13). "Brockhaus kapituliert vor dem Internet". http://ftd.de/technik/medien_internet/:Brockhaus%20Internet/316489.html. Retrieved 2008-02-13.
- ^ [1]
- This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
External links
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
