On the 10th of May 1842, his 25th birthday, the Berlin bookseller Julius Springer opened his own bookstore and at the same time began a career as a publisher. The publishing program was extended over the following generations, and the company expanded to become the most important German scientific publishing house. The author describes this development, mostly using information from the Springer archives. The addition of nearly 400 figures and tables makes this a highly informative document of the history of bookselling, publishing and science. A second volume contains the history of the publishing house from 1945 to 1992.

Inhalt
From the Founding of the Company to the Sale of the Bookshop (1842 1858).- Building up the Publishing House and the Beginnings of Specialisation (1858 1877).- Publisher of Books in Engineering and for Public Authorities (1877 1906).- Stormy Growth. World War I (1907 1918).- The Expansion of Scientific Publishing (1919 1932).- Years of Danger (1933 1945).