Euro (magazine, formerly DM)

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Euro (own spelling: € uro ) was a weekly magazine founded in 1961 and published by the Handelsblatt publishing group until 2004, focusing on economics , politics and the stock market . In the D-Mark times it was called DM - Deutsche Mark , later temporarily DM Euro . It was the first magazine in German-speaking countries that dealt with product tests and consumer protection . In terms of content, it was thus the forerunner of the Ökotest magazine and the test magazine of Stiftung Warentest .

history

The publisher and founder of DM was the former Spiegel editor Waldemar Schweitzer , who developed the underlying concept from US Consumer Reports and British Which? took over. The first edition was published on September 11, 1961. The publication was initially fortnightly, later weekly. At the end of each year a yearbook with all tests was published.

In addition to background articles on consumer topics, it was above all new product tests that helped DM get off to a successful start. Products from different manufacturers were compared by experts . In the final evaluation, which could range from “very recommendable” to “not recommended to buy”, the retail price was also included in addition to the test results. Everyday objects such as bread, furniture, clothing, detergents and cars were examined. In 1962, a test center was established in southern Germany.

The procedure of placing negative product features in the foreground and using very clear language drove the circulation up, but also led to a wave of lawsuits from affected manufacturers. The (won) trial of the Constructa washing machine test attracted the most attention . One of the proceedings initiated by Volkswagen had to be lost because the amount in dispute was too high.

Bankruptcy and takeover

Publishing capers in other areas drove the Waldemar Schweitzer publishing house into bankruptcy in mid-1966. The competition for the test , which was published for the first time shortly before, also made itself felt. But DM was profitable until the end. The sold circulation reached 700,000 copies at times. In total, more than 400 tests were carried out.

The naming rights were acquired by the Bärmeier & Nikel publishing house , which continued to run the magazine with little change from the end of 1966 and also took over the test institute and its staff. The editorial team was relocated from Stuttgart to Frankfurt in 1969. Later, the DM, which then appeared every month, became more colorful. Swim in the sex wave of the 1960s, scantily clad beauties took the front pages, and there were extensive articles on breast supplies, erotic literature and the like. In the 1970s, DM took a more serious look. The expensive and time-consuming product tests became less frequent, reports and consumer information were in the foreground.

sale

In 1978 Erich Bärmeier sold the DM to the Düsseldorf publishing group Handelsblatt . After the currency changeover, the DM was renamed to DM Euro at the beginning of 2002 and later to Euro . The focus remained. In 2004 the Handelsblatt publishing group sold the magazine to Finanz Verlag from Munich , a subsidiary of Axel Springer AG . The magazine was discontinued immediately after the takeover. However, the title Euro was transferred to the existing magazine finances .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ See also death at KM 51 918 , in: Der Spiegel from April 15, 1964.