Brief Biography of Axel Springer (1912-1985)

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Brief Biography of Axel Springer (1912-1985)

1912

Axel Springer is born in Altona on 2 May 1912.

1928-1932

Axel Springer in front of his parental home in Bendestorf/Luneburg Heath.

After attending secondary school he becomes an apprentice compositor and printer at the publishers Hammerich & Lesser-Verlag, his father´s company. This is followed by: Practical training in the news agency „Wolff´s Telegraphisches Bureau” and work as a local reporter for the newspaper Bergedorfer Zeitung.

1933-1941

Journalist with the Altonaer Nachrichten until the compulsory closure of the newspaper.

1941-1945

Publication of literary works in Hammerich & Lesser Verlag.

1946

Establishment of Axel Springer Verlag.

January 1958

Axel Springer travels to Moscow and meets Nikita Krushchev. He tries in vain to gain the Kremlin´s support for the reunification of Germany.

May 1959

Axel Springer lays the foundation stone of the Berlin headquarters in the presence of Willy Brandt, mayor of Berlin, and the Federal Minister Ernst Lemmer on 25 June 1959.

Foundation stone laid for publishing building in Kochstrasse, Berlin (opened 1966).

July 1966

Axel Springer´s first visit to Israel.

October 1967

Axel Springer announces his publishing principles in an address to the Hamburg ”Overseas Club“.

1. January 1970

The publishing company is converted into a joint stock company (AG) The sole shareholder is Axel Springer.

1971

Publisher Axel Springer in the 70`s.

Axel Springer´s first book „Von Berlin aus gesehen” („Seen from Berlin”) is published. It is followed in 1980 by „Aus Sorge um Deutschland” („Out of concern for Germany”).

1968-1975

In connection with the student unrest there are riots in front of the publishing building in Berlin. Until the mid-seventies attacks are made on the Hamburg publishing building and on Axel Springer´s private houses.

1985

Shortly after the publishing company goes public, Axel Springer dies on 22 September 1985 in Berlin.