Brepols Publishers

Brepols is a Belgian publishing house. Once, it was one of the largest printing companies in the world and one of the main employers in Turnhout (Belgium). Besides its printing business, Brepols is also active as a publisher. Formerly well known for its missals, the company is now better known for its specialization in historical studies and editions of classical authors, including the Corpus Christianorum. HistoryIn 1795, Pieter Corbeels, a printer from Leuven, moved to Turnhout together with his assistant Philippus Jacobus Brepols, possibly to flee the French army, which occupied Belgium at that time. Corbeels rapidly became the town printer, and he printed passports and pamphlets for the city of Turnhout. In the summer of 1798, Corbeels went to fight against the French as one of the leaders of the ‘’Boerenkrijg’’. He was caught and executed. Because of Corbeels' fight against the French, his apprentice, Philippus Jacobus Brepols, had to take over responsibility for the printing company. Corbeels' widow managed the business for a short while, but from 1800 onwards P. J. Brepols gradually took over the house and the business. Soon the printing business was expanded with bo