On 1 July: BuchVerlag Leipzig celebrates eight decades of books not just for women

Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar: Zum deutschen Artikel.

A long-established Leipzig-based publishing house turns 80 on 1 July: eight decades have passed since the then ‘Verlag für die Frau’ was founded on 1 July 1946 in Leipzig, the city of books, and within a few years became the largest fashion and self-help publisher in the GDR. An institution that remains deeply rooted in the collective memory of eastern Germany to this day. This is the reason why the publishing house still exists today.

In the process, the publishing house has weathered so many momentous events, upheavals, and social and political changes, whilst providing guidance to generations of people in all walks of life. After 50 years as Verlag für die Frau, the era of BuchVerlag für die Frau began in 1996, successfully continuing the publishing tradition and firmly establishing itself on the all-German book market.

Today, this long-established publishing house, operating under the name BuchVerlag Leipzig, is moving into a new era, with all its challenges and changes. Since 2015, it has also had a strong partner at its side – as part of the ‘grünes herz’ publishing group – a successful medium-sized publishing company with branches in Thuringia and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

Great classics

The widely recognised bestsellers and brands that the publisher has produced over its eighty-year history – and with which it will remain forever associated – have endured to this day, including the legendary cookery book *Wir kochen gut* from 1962 (over 5 million copies sold, currently in its 57th edition) and the classic ‘KOCHEN – 1680 Rezepte für Sie’ from 1979 (over 2 million copies sold, currently in its 43rd edition), which remain institutional fixtures to this day and are among the ‘longest-serving’ culinary guides on the German book market.

Also unforgettable are the renowned fashion magazines such as “SIBYLLE” – the Vogue of the East – or “PRAMO. Praktische Mode”, which have long since ceased publication but now enjoy cult status.

Furthermore, with its ‘Minibibliothek’ – which has been in existence for over 40 years and comprises almost 420 volumes, making it one of Europe’s best-known miniature book series – and the ‘Thüringer Küchenbibliothek’ by bestselling author Gudrun Dietze, the publisher has created unique series that have become an integral part of the book market.

To mark the anniversary, ‘Unser großes Kochbuch’ – another of the publisher’s culinary classics – is finally available again! In a limited anniversary edition of 1,946 numbered copies, this cult cookbook completes the publisher’s collection of classics, all of which are now back on the market. First published in 1970, this legendary collection of recipes was the first comprehensive standard cookbook in the GDR and the forerunner to today’s hugely popular bestseller *KOCHEN – 1680 Rezepte für Sie*.

To this day, it has lost none of its relevance. It offers more than 1,500 practical recipes, ranging from a simple breakfast to a festive evening meal, along with useful tips and advice on healthy eating that today’s readers can follow with confidence.

New segments

But the publisher is also venturing into entirely new areas in its eightieth year of existence. With the children’s book *The Secret of the Leipzig Lark: Detective Stories with Max & Marie*
by Janina Woyach, the publisher is launching its first children’s book series, featuring exciting stories and plenty of local colour. The first volume is set in the trade fair city of Leipzig, where the young master detectives Max and Marie, together with their animal friend, Fritzi the ferret, set out in search of the missing lark.

This promises not only excitement but also a brief tour of the city’s most beautiful sights, which young readers can discover almost by the way.

Further volumes featuring detective stories set in other cities and regions of Central Germany are in the pipeline and are set to expand and broaden the publisher’s extensive catalogue for the future.

As part of the upcoming anniversary celebrations on 1 July 2026, BuchVerlag Leipzig will also mark a special occasion: the Saxon Economic Archive will incorporate selected holdings spanning 80 years of the publisher’s history into its archives at the newly built documentation centre in Borna.

In addition to first editions of books and magazines, these include contemporary historical documents such as photographs, autographs, correspondence with authors and business records, which provide important insights into the work and literary output of the GDR’s largest fashion and self-help publisher.