First (magazine)

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First-
- Cologne's newspaper by men for men
- Germany's largest gay newspaper
- Germany's largest gay newspaper
Logo of the First
description Free newspaper for gays in Germany
language German
publishing company First publishing house
First edition November 1988
attitude July 1999
Frequency of publication per month
Widespread edition 25,000 copies
( Directory of alternative media 1997 (PDF; 1.2 MB))
Editor-in-chief Jürgen Jokiel
Gerd Sprenger
ZDB 1049278-1
year Issues
from - to		 number
1988 1 2 2
1989 3 14th 12
1990 15th 26th 12
1991 27 38 12
1992 39 50 12
1993 51 62 12
1994 63 74 12
1995 75 86 12
1996 87 98 12
1997 99 110 12
1998 111 122 12
1999 123 129 7th

First was a monthly German newspaper for gay men. At first it was only distributed in Cologne . Over time, the spread spread to all of Germany.

history

Jürgen Jokiel, owner of the small Hotel Garni Plümo in Cologne-Nippes , and Gerd Sprenger, independent gallery owner ( Mige ), artist and graphic designer in Cologne-Zollstock , founded First Verlag in mid-1988 to publish a free monthly gay newspaper.

The first issue appeared with the additional title "Cologne's Newspaper by Men for Men" in November 1988 with a circulation of 2500 copies. This edition was distributed in bars, restaurants, cafes, saunas , a wide variety of shops and the Schulz (gay and lesbian center) in Cologne . Over time, the distribution area expanded to include North Rhine-Westphalia , and the additional title changed to "Cologne's newspaper from men for men in NRW". It was later distributed all over Germany and the additional title changed first to “Germany's largest gay newspaper” and later to “Germany's largest gay newspaper”. After the fall of the Wall , an office was opened on Waldstrasse in Leipzig , and for a short time there were special pages for East Germany. The print run rose to 25,000 copies by the fortieth edition (1992). Upon request, newspaper parcels were also sent to Switzerland, Austria and parts of Belgium. There was also the option of a subscription for 45 DM.

Initially, the newspaper was printed in DIN A2 format. The Berlin format was later switched to. The appearance was changed several times and the styles copied by the graphic artist Sprenger, for example from Bild or FAZ . It was made by Henke Druck in Brühl . The newspaper was financed by private classified ads for 10 DM and commercial advertisements for 150 DM.

In terms of content, a colorful mixture of topics was represented: politics, society, fashion, travel, horoscopes, puzzles, culture and sports from all over the world. The editorial part was done by Jokiel and co-authors z. B. Rainer Jarchow created, Sprenger was a graphic artist and responsible for the horoscope. Compared to the majority of the other gay media, First saw itself, with Jokiel as a self-confessed CDU member, as a bourgeois-conservative alternative. His sometimes provocative articles offered a wide range of attack opportunities and a basis for discussion. The publisher participated and supported the Cologne CSD from the start.

After tension between Jokiel and Sprenger, they separated in 1992, and Sprenger continued to run the magazine on his own for a while. He later sold it to a major Cologne restaurateur. As a house newspaper, First lost more and more advertisers and was discontinued in 1999.

Jokiel founded Empire-Verlag in mid-1996 to publish the free travel magazine Empire . Four glossy editions were published in A4 format. In 1998 the publishing house was dissolved. There is also a YouTube channel of the same title with travel tips.

  • Front cover of First , Issue 4, February 1989

  • Front cover of First , Issue 18, April 1990

  • Title page from Empire , 1/1997

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Axel Diederich, Eef Vermeij: Directory of Alternative Media 1997 , ID archive in the International Institute of Social History (IISG), Amsterdam, 1997, ISBN 90-6861-146-1 , p. 135 (PDF-S. 173; 1.2 MB)