Gustav Adolf Kröner
Adolf von Kröner | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Germany |
| Died | January 29, 1911 (aged 74) |
| Occupation | Publisher |
| Known for | Promotion of fixed book prices (Kröner Reform), chairman of the Börsenverein der Deutschen Buchhändler |
Gustav Adolf Kröner (born May 26, 1836 – died January 29, 1911), ennobled as von Kröner from 1905 onward, was a prominent German publisher and served as chairman of the Börsenverein der Deutschen Buchhändler. He is chiefly recognized for his promotion of fixed prices for books, a policy introduced through the Kröner Reform that remains in effect today. His leadership led to the growth of several influential publishing firms, particularly J. G. Cotta'sche Buchhandlung, acquired in 1889, which emerged as a leading publisher of humanities and literary works in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Family
Adolf was the son of Ludwig Ferdinand Kröner (1807–1862), a staff officer and hospital administrator, and Christine Magdalene Ebner (1799–1876). His siblings Carl (1835–1929) and Paul Kröner (1839–1900) also pursued careers in publishing. In 1860, he wed Amalie Mäntler (1838–1905), whose father Carl Mäntler owned a printing business. The couple had three children: sons Alfred and Robert, who later jointly managed his publishing ventures, and daughter Alwine, who married fellow publisher Heinrich Beck.
Early years and education
Kröner completed his schooling at Eberhard Ludwigs Gymnasium in Stuttgart before relocating to Paris in 1853 with aspirations of becoming an opera singer. Due to financial difficulties, he abandoned his musical studies and turned to acting in Leipzig and Weimar but eventually redirected his career toward bookselling. In 1855, he apprenticed at Wilhelm Bach's bookshop in Stuttgart, briefly worked at L. Boshoyer’s establishment in Cannstatt, and then served as a bookseller’s assistant in Munich. There, through acquaintances such as Wilhelm Hertz and Robert von Hornstein, he became involved with the literary circle "Die Krokodile," which shaped his publishing interests. By 1857, he had returned to Stuttgart to work as a bookkeeper at Franz Malté's Artistic Institute.
Early career
In 1859, Kröner assumed control of his father-in-law Carl Mäntler’s printing operation and co-founded Gebr. Mäntler (A. Kröner) alongside his brother Paul. Two years later, he focused exclusively on publishing and bookselling under the name A. Kröner Verlagsbuchhandlung. His initial authors included Melchior Meyr as well as Munich-based literary figures like Wilhelm Hertz, Paul Heyse, and Hermann Kurz. By acquiring Becherscher Verlag in 1864 and Krabbescher Verlag in 1870, he attracted writers such as Hans Hopfen and Ernst Eckstein. Carl joined the firm as a partner in 1867 while Paul had been managing the printing operations since 1864. The various enterprises consolidated into Gebrüder Kröner in 1877; Carl departed by 1883. Additionally, Kröner published the conservative newspaper Schwäbische Volkszeitung.
Kröner further expanded his portfolio in 1884 by purchasing Ernst Keil’s publishing house along with its journal Die Gartenlaube, which he oversaw until its cessation in 1903; his son Alfred began assisting with management there from 1886. On January 1, 1889, he acquired J. G. Cotta'sche Buchhandlung in Stuttgart—an operation he had leased since 1879—and continued it under the name J.G. Cotta'sche Buchhandlung Nachfolger. Having bought Cotta'sche Druckerei in 1886, he collaborated with Carl von Cotta on the Bibliothek der Weltliteratur series starting in 1882. The Allgemeine Zeitung was spun off into a GmbH based in Munich by 1895.
In 1890, Kröner established Union Deutsche Verlagsgesellschaft by merging Herrmann Schönlein’s publishing house (acquired in 1888), Wilhelm Spemann’s firm (with whom he partnered from 1891 to 1897), and his own operations; he chaired its supervisory board until transferring management responsibilities to Heinrich Beck in 1904.
In 1897, Kröner acquired Arnold Bergsträsser’s architectural publishing company located in Darmstadt and integrated it with Cotta’s technical publishing division; this combined entity was entrusted to his son Alfred in 1898, who had been a partner since 1892. By 1899, J.G. Cotta'sche Buchhandlung was reorganized as a GmbH administered by Adolf and his son Robert until Adolf’s passing in 1911. A Berlin branch was launched in 1901, creating dual headquarters under "Stuttgart und Berlin".
Turn of the century
Following the passing of Berlin publisher Wilhelm Hertz in 1901, Adolf Kröner took over his publishing program and merged it into Cotta'sche Buchhandlung. Subsequently, the firm concentrated solely on humanities and economics after spinning off its technology and natural sciences divisions to Alfred Kröner Verlag. Prominent philosophy contributors included Friedrich Theodor Vischer, Friedrich Jodl, Heinrich von Stein, Eduard Engel, and Franz Brentano. In the fields of economics and law, distinguished authors were Georg von Mayr, Georg Schanz, Lujo Brentano, and Walter Lotz. The Münchener volkswirtschaftliche Studien series, overseen by Brentano and Lotz, produced more than 100 volumes between 1893 and Kröner's death. Hermann Oldenberg’s Buddha emerged as one of the publishing house’s most enduring successes, with editions continuing through World War II.
The historical division featured writers such as Heinrich Brunner, Alfred Doren, Veit Valentin, Heinrich Friedjung, Friedrich Meinecke, and Erich Marcks. A focal point during this era was Otto von Bismarck; Kröner secured publication rights for his memoirs. Significant works included Die politischen Reden des Fürsten Bismarck (14 volumes, 1892), Gedanken und Erinnerungen (1898), Kaiser Wilhelm I and Bismarck (1901), and Aus Bismarcks Briefwechsel (1903 and 1906).
In literature, between 1902 and 1907, Cotta'sche Buchhandlung released a critical 40-volume complete edition of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s oeuvre as a "jubilee edition," followed by a full edition of Friedrich Schiller’s works (1904–1905) marking the centennial of his death. The "Bibliothek der Weltliteratur" was further expanded, while the Volksbibliothek deutscher Klassiker was revived under the title "Cotta'sche Volksbibliothek" (from 1889) and later renamed "Cotta'sche Handbibliothek" (from 1902). Nevertheless, according to the Neue Deutsche Biographie, Kröner failed to anticipate emerging literary movements. He rejected collaborations with authors like Detlev von Liliencron, Heinrich Mann, and Rainer Maria Rilke, only belatedly seeking partnerships with Arthur Schnitzler and Hermann Hesse. His catalog included aspirational literature from Hermann Sudermann as well as works by Theodor Fontane, Paul Heyse, and Gottfried Keller—the latter acquired through Hertz’s publishing legacy. Furthermore, Otto Braun edited the Cotta'schen Musenalmanach, which highlighted German literary works from 1891 to 1900.
Work for German publishing industry
Adolf Kröner exerted considerable influence beyond his publishing activities by championing the interests of the German book trade and publishing sector. In 1877, he assumed leadership roles as Chairman of both the South German Booksellers Association and the Stuttgart Publishers Association. By 1880, he had become deputy chairman of the Börsenverein der Deutschen Buchhändler (now known as the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels), serving as First Chairman from 1882 to 1888 and again from 1889 to 1892. The Neue Deutsche Biographie regards him as the preeminent figure in this capacity during the late nineteenth century.
Kröner spearheaded reforms aimed at balancing power between Leipzig and Berlin’s dominant bookselling hubs and regional booksellers. Tensions arose because metropolitan publishers engaged in extensive mail-order sales with steep discounts, which financially strained regional booksellers. In an influential address delivered at the Börsenverein in 1884, Kröner called for implementing fixed book price policies to protect all stakeholders—publishers, booksellers, and authors alike:
„Die Schleuderer im Buchhandel, d.h. der Verkauf neuer Bücher an das Publicum zu Preisen, bei welchen nach dem Urtheil unparteiischer Sachverständiger ein solider, über das ganze deutsche Sprachgebiet verbreiteter Sortimentsbuchhandel nicht mehr bestehen kann, ist in ihren Consequenzen gleich nachtheilig für Schriftsteller, Bücherverkäufer und Verleger.“
He advocated for uniform market conditions nationwide that would allow publishers to widely distribute new publications while supporting local booksellers through consistent pricing structures and regional warehouses. These reforms also sought to protect lesser-known writers from marginalization.
In 1887, fixed book pricing along with several of Kröner’s recommendations were adopted by the association and implemented in 1888—measures now recognized as Kröner's reform. His initiatives revitalized association engagement at district and local levels and led to establishing a commission dedicated to addressing pricing disputes. After stepping down as chairman in 1888, Kröner handed over leadership to Berlin publisher Paul Parey; however, Parey’s forceful enforcement efforts proved unsuccessful. Following Parey’s resignation after one year, Kröner resumed chairmanship until he declined re-election in 1892 due to health concerns.
Distinctions
- Designated honorary citizen of Leipzig in 1888 coinciding with the opening of the German Booksellers' House
- Held the title of Private Councillor of Commerce
- Recipient of the Cross of Honor from the Order of the Württemberg Crown in 1904, which granted personal nobility status
- Conferred an honorary doctorate (Dr. phil. h. c.) by the University of Tübingen in 1909
- Awarded an honorary doctorate (Dr. oec. publ. h. c.) from the University of Munich in 1909
- Named Honorary Member of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association in 1909
Affiliations
Adolf von Kröner was affiliated with the Corps Teutonia Stuttgart.
References
Additional literature
- Franz Menges: Kröner, Adolf von. In: Neue Deutsche Biographie (NDB), Volume 13, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 1982, pp. 59–61 [Digital version]
- Gerhard Menz (ed.): Deutsche Buchhändler. 24 Lebensbilder führender Männer des Buchhandels, Lehmann Verlag Leipzig 1925
- Anton Bettelheim (ed.): Biographisches Jahrbuch und deutscher Nekrolog, Volume 16/1914
- Karl Friedrich Pfau: Biographisches Lexikon des Deutschen Buchhandels der Gegenwart, Leipzig 1890
- Mark Lehmstedt (ed.): Geschichte des Deutschen Buchhandels, Directmedia Publishing GmbH, Berlin 2000/2004 (CD-ROM)