Aenne Burda (28 July 1909 – 3 November 2005), born Anna Magdalene Lemminger, was a German publisher of the
Burda Group, a media group based in
Offenburg
Offenburg ("open borough" - coat of arms showing open gates; Low Alemannic German, Low Alemmanic: ''Offäburg'') is a city located in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. With nearly 60,000 inhabitants (2019), it is the largest city and the ad ...
and
Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
, Germany. She was one of the symbols of the
German economic miracle
The ''Wirtschaftswunder'' (, "economic miracle"), also known as the Miracle on the Rhine, was the rapid reconstruction and development of the economies of West Germany and Austria after World War II (adopting an ordoliberalism-based social marke ...
.
Biography
Aenne Burda was born in Offenburg,
German Empire
The German Empire (),Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 1881 that the term "Reich" does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people. The term literally denotes an empire – particularly a hereditary ...
. She chose her name after the popular song ''
Ännchen von Tharau
"Ännchen von Tharau" (Low Prussian: "Anke van Tharaw") is a 17-stanza poem by the East Prussian poet Simon Dach. The namesake of the poem is Anna Neander (1615–1689), the daughter of a parson from Tharau, East Prussia (now known as Vladimirovo i ...
''. She was the daughter of a
Fireman
A firefighter is a first responder and rescuer extensively trained in firefighting, primarily to extinguish hazardous fires that threaten life, property, and the environment as well as to rescue people and in some cases or jurisdictions also ...
of steam locomotives on the railways. She left convent high school at 17 and became a cashier at the Offenburg electricity company. In 1930 she met printer and publisher
Franz Burda
Franz Burda (24 February 1903 – 30 September 1986) was a German publisher. He inherited his father's publishing business, which he developed into what is now the Hubert Burda Media conglomerate.
Early life and family
Burda was born in Phi ...
, son of Franz Burda, the founder of the Burda printing company. The couple married a year later, on 9 July 1931. They had three sons, Franz (1932–2017),
Frieder (1936–2019) and
Hubert
Hubert is a Germanic masculine given name, from ''hug'' "mind" and '' beraht'' "bright". It also occurs as a surname.
Saint Hubertus or Hubert (c. 656 – 30 May 727) is the patron saint of hunters, mathematicians, opticians, and metalworkers ...
(1940). She was the mother-in-law of actress
Maria Furtwängler
Maria Furtwängler-Burda (short version: ; born 13 September 1966) is a German physician and television actress.
Early life
Maria Furtwängler-Burda is a daughter of architect Bernhard Furtwängler and actress Kathrin Ackermann, great-niece a ...
.
Burda founded two charitable foundations, supporting young academics and seniors in her hometown of Offenburg respectively.
Aenne Burda died in her native Offenburg, Germany, at the age of 96, from natural causes.
A movie about her life, Aenne Burda, The Economic Wonderwoman was released in 2018.
Magazine publishing
Aenne and her husband helped to expand the family business into women's magazines. In 1949 Aenne Burda founded a fashion magazine printing and publishing company in her home town Offenburg. The same year she started publishing magazine ''Favorit'', which was later renamed to ''Burda Moden''. The first issue of ''
Burda Moden'' magazine was published in 1950 with a circulation of 100,000. It became popular in the market after 1952, when it began to include sheets of paper with
patterns for clothes. In 1987 ''Burda Moden'' became the first Western magazine published in
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
. ''Burda Fashion'' is currently published in 90 countries in 16 different languages.
In 1977 she launched ''Burda CARINA'' magazine, a fashion and lifestyle magazine targeting a younger female audience.
Quotes
* "My aim is to put together practical fashions at an affordable price that can be worn by the largest possible number of women."
* "I have learned to grow old with a young heart, thus retaining my enjoyment of life, my joie de vivre."
Awards
* 1974
Great Cross of Merit
The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or , BVO) is the only federal decoration of Germany. It is awarded for special achievements in political, economic, cultural, intellect ...
of the Federal Republic of Germany
* 1979 Offenburg’s Ring of Honour for her role in the city’s economic development
* 1984
Bavarian Order of Merit
The Bavarian Order of Merit (german: Bayerischer Verdienstorden) is the Order of Merit of the Free State of Bavaria. It is awarded by the Minister-President of Bavaria as a "recognition of outstanding contributions to the Free State of Bavaria ...
* 1985 Baden-Württemberg Order of Merit
* 1989 Jakob Fugger Medal by the Bavarian Publishers Association (the first time this was awarded to a woman)
* 1989 Aenne Burda is made an honorary citizen of her hometown Offenburg
* 1990
Karl Valentin Order
The Karl Valentin Order was established by the Carnival club Munich Society Narrhalla e.V. on the occasion of its 80th anniversary. It was awarded for the first time in 1973. The Karl Valentin Order commemorates the legendary Bavarian humorist Kar ...
of Merit
* 1994 Golden Order of Merit from the province of Salzburg, Austria
* 2001 Knight Commander's Cross of the
Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or , BVO) is the only federal decoration of Germany. It is awarded for special achievements in political, economic, cultural, intellect ...
for her exceptional achievements as a business woman
Bibliography
* Aenne Burda: ''Ansichten, Einsichten, Erfahrungen.'' Articles previously published in Burda Moden, 1975–1989,
* Aenne Burda (Hrsg.): ''Handarbeitsbücher für Schule, Beruf und Haus.'' Modeverlag Burda, Lahr (Schwarzwald)
* Judith Betzler: ''Aenne Burda. Die Macht des Schönen.'' Econ, München 1999,
*: â€
Excerpt 22 pages, (pdf file)
* Peter Köpf: ''Die Burdas.'' Europa Verlag, Hamburg 2002,
References
External links
Aenne-Burda.comAbout Aenne BurdaHubert-Burda-Media.deHubert Burda Media company's website.
Burda Fashion (magazine) website.
Aenne Burda – Publisher and Grande Dame of German fashion
{{DEFAULTSORT:Burda, Aenne
1909 births
2005 deaths
People from Offenburg
Knights Commander of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Recipients of the Order of Merit of Baden-Württemberg
Aenne
German mass media owners
Women in publishing
German magazine founders