Geschichte
1933
Dr. Hans Kapfinger, chief editor of the Straubinger Tagblatt, writes the leading article which determines his own future and that of Verlagsgruppe Passau: he says that Adolf HitlerÕs cabinet should be examined to see if their mental faculties are in order. For this, the Nazis throw him into jail and ban him from working in newspapers after his release. His promising career looks finished.
1946
Dr. Hans Kapfinger is granted Licence No. 16 by the American Allies to produce the newspaper. In the eyes of the Allies, his resistance to the Nazis and his democratic principles make him an ideal candidate to build up the West German press. The first edition of Passauer Neue Presse appears on 5 February 1946 with a print-run of around 105,000. Before the year is over, Neue Presse Verlags-GmbH has been founded.
1954
Passauer Neue Presse is already appearing in 15 different local editions with a daily print-run of 120,000.
1985
Dr. Hans Kapfinger dies at the age of 83. He leaves behind a sound, healthy publishing company which he has built up through his commitment to journalism and his far-sightedness as a publisher.
1988
A new era begins for the group. Franz Xaver Hirtreiter becomes chairman of the board, starts the expansion into eastern Europe in 1990 and thus initiates the development into an international media group.
1990
Straight after the fall of the Iron Curtain, the group starts acquiring local weekly and regional daily newspapers in the Czech Republic; today, these are united in the Vltava-Labe-Press (VLP) group.
1991
Verlagsgruppe Passau acquires the majority of Landesverlag in Linz, Austria, and thus of the Oberšsterreichische Rundschau, AustriaÕs largest regional weekly newspaper. These first investments abroad increase the groupÕs turnover from around DM 100 million to around DM 400 million; the number of staff expands from approximately 780 to around 2,400.
1992
The ÒInstitute for the Training of JournalistsÓ is established. Euro-Druckservice AG (EDS) is founded, bringing together the printing operations of Verlagsgruppe Passau in Germany, Austria, Poland and the Czech Republic.
1994
Verlagsgruppe Passau begins investing in Poland. Shares in nine Polish regional newspapers are taken over from the French Hersant Group. In the ensuing years, ÒPolskapresseÓ is built up to become one of PolandÕs leading newspaper publishers. In terms both of turnover and of staff numbers, it is now the largest national group in Verlagsgruppe Passau.
1997
For the first time, Verlagsgruppe Passau achieves a turnover of more than half a billion euros and employs 5,500 staff in four countries.
1998
Verlagsgruppe Passau invests in the Genoese newspaper publisher ÒIl Secolo XIXÓ and becomes the first German publisher to gain a foothold in a regional daily newspaper in Italy. Together with its Italian partners at ÒIl Secolo XIXÓ, it plans and constructs a new, state-of-the-art newspaper printing plant in the Genoese suburb of San Biagio. The shares are sold on after three years.
1999
Verlagsgruppe Passau starts investing in Slovakia. The first acquisition is the eastern Slovak daily newspaper Luc, to be followed soon after by other daily and weekly newspapers in Slovak and Hungarian throughout the country. A year later, these publications are merged in a joint venture with the SME group and a joint publishing company active throughout the country is set up for daily and weekly newspapers.
2000
For the first time, the groupÕs activities are brought together in a holding company, Verlagsgruppe Passau GmbH. Verlagsgruppe is headed by Quirin Wimmer, the spokesman of the board, and Roland Rager, director of finance and internal audits.
2003
Publisher DDr. Axel Diekmann takes over the management of Verlagsgruppe Passau and Neue Presse Verlags-GmbH.
2004
From April, Passauer Neue Presse with its local editions can be read as an e-paper on the internet. Neue Presse Verlags-GmbH launches a comprehensive decentralisation campaign in order to bring the regional editions closer to their readers and advertisers, and to open up new opportunities for quality improvement.
Dr. Hans Kapfinger, chief editor of the Straubinger Tagblatt, writes the leading article which determines his own future and that of Verlagsgruppe Passau: he says that Adolf HitlerÕs cabinet should be examined to see if their mental faculties are in order. For this, the Nazis throw him into jail and ban him from working in newspapers after his release. His promising career looks finished.
1946
Dr. Hans Kapfinger is granted Licence No. 16 by the American Allies to produce the newspaper. In the eyes of the Allies, his resistance to the Nazis and his democratic principles make him an ideal candidate to build up the West German press. The first edition of Passauer Neue Presse appears on 5 February 1946 with a print-run of around 105,000. Before the year is over, Neue Presse Verlags-GmbH has been founded.
1954
Passauer Neue Presse is already appearing in 15 different local editions with a daily print-run of 120,000.
1985
Dr. Hans Kapfinger dies at the age of 83. He leaves behind a sound, healthy publishing company which he has built up through his commitment to journalism and his far-sightedness as a publisher.
1988
A new era begins for the group. Franz Xaver Hirtreiter becomes chairman of the board, starts the expansion into eastern Europe in 1990 and thus initiates the development into an international media group.
1990
Straight after the fall of the Iron Curtain, the group starts acquiring local weekly and regional daily newspapers in the Czech Republic; today, these are united in the Vltava-Labe-Press (VLP) group.
1991
Verlagsgruppe Passau acquires the majority of Landesverlag in Linz, Austria, and thus of the Oberšsterreichische Rundschau, AustriaÕs largest regional weekly newspaper. These first investments abroad increase the groupÕs turnover from around DM 100 million to around DM 400 million; the number of staff expands from approximately 780 to around 2,400.
1992
The ÒInstitute for the Training of JournalistsÓ is established. Euro-Druckservice AG (EDS) is founded, bringing together the printing operations of Verlagsgruppe Passau in Germany, Austria, Poland and the Czech Republic.
1994
Verlagsgruppe Passau begins investing in Poland. Shares in nine Polish regional newspapers are taken over from the French Hersant Group. In the ensuing years, ÒPolskapresseÓ is built up to become one of PolandÕs leading newspaper publishers. In terms both of turnover and of staff numbers, it is now the largest national group in Verlagsgruppe Passau.
1997
For the first time, Verlagsgruppe Passau achieves a turnover of more than half a billion euros and employs 5,500 staff in four countries.
1998
Verlagsgruppe Passau invests in the Genoese newspaper publisher ÒIl Secolo XIXÓ and becomes the first German publisher to gain a foothold in a regional daily newspaper in Italy. Together with its Italian partners at ÒIl Secolo XIXÓ, it plans and constructs a new, state-of-the-art newspaper printing plant in the Genoese suburb of San Biagio. The shares are sold on after three years.
1999
Verlagsgruppe Passau starts investing in Slovakia. The first acquisition is the eastern Slovak daily newspaper Luc, to be followed soon after by other daily and weekly newspapers in Slovak and Hungarian throughout the country. A year later, these publications are merged in a joint venture with the SME group and a joint publishing company active throughout the country is set up for daily and weekly newspapers.
2000
For the first time, the groupÕs activities are brought together in a holding company, Verlagsgruppe Passau GmbH. Verlagsgruppe is headed by Quirin Wimmer, the spokesman of the board, and Roland Rager, director of finance and internal audits.
2003
Publisher DDr. Axel Diekmann takes over the management of Verlagsgruppe Passau and Neue Presse Verlags-GmbH.
2004
From April, Passauer Neue Presse with its local editions can be read as an e-paper on the internet. Neue Presse Verlags-GmbH launches a comprehensive decentralisation campaign in order to bring the regional editions closer to their readers and advertisers, and to open up new opportunities for quality improvement.
"Recte faciendo
neminem timebis"
"Do right and you
need fear no-one."
Dr. Hans Kapfinger †,
Founder
neminem timebis"
"Do right and you
need fear no-one."
Dr. Hans Kapfinger †,
Founder
