Verlag Klaus Wagenbach

What Verlag Klaus Wagenbach does

Verlag Klaus Wagenbach is an independent Berlin-based book publisher founded in September 1964 by Klaus Wagenbach. The house publishes approximately 800 deliverable titles across a curated program of literature, history, art history, cultural studies, and politics, with a distinctive specialty in Italian, French, Spanish, English, and German-language works (including Kafka scholarship). The catalog is organized into branded series including Quartbuch/Literatur, SALTO (red cloth-bound literature), WAT/Taschenbuch (paperbacks), Oktavheft, DaCapo, Sachbuch, Politik, KKB/Kulturwissenschaft, Digitale Bildkulturen, and EDITION GIORGIO VASARI (a 45-volume art-history edition); print titles are priced €10-€36 and e-books €12.99-€24.99.

The business operates on a one-time unit-sale model with no subscription, licensing, or institutional revenue streams. Distribution runs through the German Buchhandel (physical and e-book retailers), the publisher's own e-commerce storefront at wagenbach.de, and e-book platforms, with the publisher explicitly encouraging readers to buy from local bookstores. Marketing is community-driven: events, readings, book fairs, the Mediathek of recorded author events, a newsletter, and Lesekreise (reading circles). Leadership passed from founder Klaus Wagenbach (deceased December 17, 2021) to Susanne Schüssler in 2002; Schüssler has been sole shareholder since 2015. The firm is unlisted, employs 1-10 staff, and has no external investment.

Name

Verlag Klaus Wagenbach

Legal name

Verlag Klaus Wagenbach

Website

https://wagenbach.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Verlag Klaus Wagenbach is an independent Berlin-based book publisher founded in 1964, producing approximately 800 titles across literature, history, art history, cultural studies, and politics in German and several European languages, distributed through the Buchhandel and direct channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Book Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (51313)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

General Trade Publishing (Adult Fiction & Nonfiction) (MPAJAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Literary & Classics Publishing (MPAJAAAC), Genre & Category Publishing (Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Sci‑Fi/Fantasy, etc.) (MPAJAAAB), Hardcover & Premium Editions Publishing (MPAJAAAE)

Keywords

• Independent book publishing
• European literature
• Cultural studies publishing
• Non-fiction publishing
• Literary book series

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin, Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Book Sales: The publisher generates revenue through the sale of physical books and e-books. The program includes approximately 800 deliverable titles across literature, history, art/cultural history, and politics. Books are published in Italian, Spanish, English, French, and German languages.
2. E-Book Sales: Digital versions of books are sold as e-books, providing an additional revenue stream alongside physical book sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Verlag Klaus Wagenbach is an independent Berlin-based publisher that produces and sells approximately 800 titles across literature, history, art history, cultural studies, and politics. The publisher offers physical books in multiple specialized series (SALTO clothbound, WAT paperback, Quartbuch, KKB cultural studies, EDITION GIORGIO VASARI, etc.) and digital e-books in ePub format. Books are published primarily in German and translated from Italian, French, Spanish, and English.

Product overview

Verlag Klaus Wagenbach is an independent Berlin-based book publisher founded in 1964, now led by Susanne Schüssler since 2002. The company publishes approximately 800 deliverable titles across multiple specialized book series and formats. The core product portfolio includes literary works (Quartbuch, SALTO, Oktavheft, DaCapo), non-fiction (Sachbuch, Politik), and academic cultural studies (KKB/Kulturwissenschaft, Digitale Bildkulturen, EDITION GIORGIO VASARI). The company also publishes paperbacks (WAT/Taschenbuch) and E-books. Previously published audio books (Wagenbachs LeseOhr) and journals (Freibeuter, Tintenfisch). Books are primarily in German, with works translated from Italian, French, Spanish, English, and other languages. The publisher maintains a focus on discovering unknown authors, reminding readers of modern classics, and providing space for independent thinking.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Quartbuch/Literatur Literary works from Italian, French, Spanish, English and German language authors, originally published as Quarthefte (quarterly pamphlets) and later as bound books. Targets readers interested in contemporary European literature and independent voices.
• SALTO Literature series published in tall-format red clothbound volumes with sewn signatures, pasted labels, and embossing. Priced at 20-22€. By 2007, the series had sold 1.4 million copies across 150 titles.
• WAT/Taschenbuch Paperback series (Taschenbücherei) featuring Italian 20th century authors, historical-political-cultural introductions, and affordable licensed editions priced at 10-15€.
• Sachbuch Non-fiction series covering history, literature, art, and cultural history in comprehensive or large-format books, typically priced 10€ to 36€.
• Politik Politics series featuring books on democratic culture and debate.
• KKB/Kulturwissenschaft Kleine Kulturwissenschaftliche Bibliothek (Small Cultural Studies Library) - narrow volumes for expanding perspectives beyond academic boundaries, targeting academic and cultural studies readers.
• EDITION GIORGIO VASARI 45-volume edition on Giorgio Vasari and art history, targeting art history scholars and cultural studies enthusiasts.
• Digitale Bildkulturen Series examining digital image cultures, covering topics such as social media, memes, GIFs, avatars, and face recognition.
• Oktavheft Series of contemporary literature published in octave format.
• DaCapo Literary series within the publisher's program.
• E-Books Digital book format available alongside print editions for select titles, priced 12.99€ to 24.99€ in ePub format.

Quantifiable outcome

• The SALTO series sold 1.4 million copies across 150 titles by 2007

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Insel Verlag: Historic German literary publisher (part of Suhrkamp group) with deep backlist of classics and modern literature; comparable as a literary publisher emphasizing premium hardcover editions and international translations.
• Suhrkamp Verlag: Independent German literary and humanities publisher in Berlin; comparable as a prestige independent trade publisher specializing in literature, philosophy, and cultural theory with a similarly curated, author-driven ethos.
• Aufbau Verlag: Berlin-based independent publisher with strong humanities and Eastern European literature list; comparable as a Berlin-headquartered independent with cultural-history and literary orientation.
• Carl Hanser Verlag: Independent German literary and non-fiction publisher based in Munich; closely comparable as a family-controlled independent with strong international translation program (Susanne Schüssler began her career at Hanser).
• Rowohlt Verlag: Major German literary and non-fiction publisher (Holtzbrinck group); comparable as a top-tier literary trade publisher with substantial translation list and similar broad adult fiction/nonfiction coverage.
• Wallstein Verlag: Independent German literary and humanities publisher based in Göttingen; comparable as a small-to-mid-sized independent emphasizing literary and cultural-studies titles with strong author relationships.
• Diogenes Verlag: Independent Swiss-German literary publisher known for distinctive author lists and literary fiction/translation; comparable as a small, author-centric independent that prizes editorial independence over commercial scale.
• Reclam Verlag: Historic German publisher famous for universal-bibliothek pocket paperback series; comparable as a long-established independent literary/classics publisher with a deep, high-rotation backlist at low price points.
• Kiepenheuer & Witsch: Independent German literary and non-fiction publisher in Cologne; comparable as a mid-sized independent with strong literary and political non-fiction profile similar to Wagenbach's Politik and Sachbuch series.

Emerging players

• Edition Korrespondenzen: Small Vienna-based independent publisher focused on literary translation and bilingual editions; comparable as a small-scale independent specializing in translated European literature with craft production values.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/VerlagKlausWagenbach
• Instagraminstagram.com/wagenbach_verlag/?hl=de
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/verlag-klaus-wagenbach

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Verlag Klaus Wagenbach