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März book covers, 1969–1987

The identity for the emancipatory books by the radical West German publisher consists of two simple ingredients: the Block typeface and the color combo yellow, red and black.

Contributed by Florian Hardwig on Feb 13th, 2023. Artwork published in
circa 1969
.
März Texte 1, 1969. Compilation of texts by Bazon Brock, Peter O. Chotjewitz, William S. Burroughs, LeRoi Jones, Uve Schmidt, Hermann Nitsch, and others.
Source: www.booklooker.de katzensohn (edited). License: All Rights Reserved.

März Texte 1, 1969. Compilation of texts by Bazon Brock, Peter O. Chotjewitz, William S. Burroughs, LeRoi Jones, Uve Schmidt, Hermann Nitsch, and others.

Among German publishers, März is probably the most iconic example for our tag “typeface plus color equals brand”. In this case, the first ingredient is Block, a bold advertising typeface with rough contours that was first cast by the Berthold foundry in 1908. The second one is the color yellow, or rather the color combo yellow, red and black. März has stuck to this formula throughout its turbulent history, creating a striking identity for their emancipatory books.

Richard Stoiber describes what made their publishing program special:

[MÄRZ] used to publish what other publishers didn’t dare to: Beat literature from the U.S., comics, poetry collections, sex ed books, pornography and political theory. For many years, MÄRZ set trends for a new aesthetic and a new political movement in the old Federal Republic. Leonard Cohen’s poems were published at MÄRZ, long before he became a singer-songwriter in Europe. For 20 years the publishing house offered the German public a multi-layered program.

The publishing house was founded in Frankfurt/Main in 1969 by Jörg Schöder and others. It was also Schröder who came up with the concept for the cover designs and the typeface choice. The co-founders left already in 1971, and in 1973, Schröder had to file for bankruptcy for the first time. The company was rebooted a year later, now with Zweitausendeins as distribution partner. Barbara Kalender joined Schröder in 1981. In 1987, after Schröder suffered two heart attacks, März Verlag had to be liquidated. The project lived on in the form of the März Desktop Verlag, which relocated to Berlin in 2005.

When Schröder died in June 2020, it seemed that März had come to a final end. In 2021, however, Richard Stoiber together with Kalender relaunched the publishing house. You can read about this new chapter in the post by Andreas Seidel, and see his custom typeface MaerzType in use on the new covers.

Manifest der Gesellschaft zur Vernichtung der Männer S.C.U.M. by  Valerie Solanas, translated by Nils-Thomas Lindquist, 1969
Source: www.booklooker.de 9th Floor Books. License: All Rights Reserved.

Manifest der Gesellschaft zur Vernichtung der Männer S.C.U.M. by Valerie Solanas, translated by Nils-Thomas Lindquist, 1969

Sexfront by Günter Amendt, 1970 (this printing: 1978). In 2007, Schröder described this controversial book about sexual education for teenagers as the “most memorable and important März title, because it made a whole generation happier.” The red T is a play on words, allowing an alternate reading as “Sexfron” – Fron is German for drudgery.
Source: www.booklooker.de altebuecherei (edited). License: All Rights Reserved.

Sexfront by Günter Amendt, 1970 (this printing: 1978). In 2007, Schröder described this controversial book about sexual education for teenagers as the “most memorable and important März title, because it made a whole generation happier.” The red T is a play on words, allowing an alternate reading as “Sexfron” – Fron is German for drudgery.

Die Befreiung Guineas by Basil Davidson, 1970
Source: www.booklooker.de katzensohn (edited). License: All Rights Reserved.

Die Befreiung Guineas by Basil Davidson, 1970

Antiautoritäre Erziehung und Psychoanalyse. Ausgewählte Schriften, Bd. 3 by Siegfried Bernfeld, 1970
Source: www.booklooker.de Versandantiquariat Cornelius Lange. License: All Rights Reserved.

Antiautoritäre Erziehung und Psychoanalyse. Ausgewählte Schriften, Bd. 3 by Siegfried Bernfeld, 1970

Kampf um Mozambique by Eduardo Mondlane, translated by Heidi Riechling, Stefan Rössel, Burkhard Bluem, 1970
Source: www.booklooker.de Umbras Kuriositätenkabinett (edited). License: All Rights Reserved.

Kampf um Mozambique by Eduardo Mondlane, translated by Heidi Riechling, Stefan Rössel, Burkhard Bluem, 1970

Lernen und Freiheit. Aus der Praxis der First Street School by George Dennison, 1971
Source: www.booklooker.de tonundform. License: All Rights Reserved.

Lernen und Freiheit. Aus der Praxis der First Street School by George Dennison, 1971

Dunkelbraun by Michael McClure, translated by Heiner Bastian, 1971, with MÄRZ in yellow letters – the exception proves the rule.
Source: www.booklooker.de Umbras Kuriositätenkabinett (edited). License: All Rights Reserved.

Dunkelbraun by Michael McClure, translated by Heiner Bastian, 1971, with MÄRZ in yellow letters – the exception proves the rule.

Laß jucken Kumpel by Hans Henning Claer, 1971. For some reason, the Ä in the logo was made smaller.
Source: www.booklooker.de trooboox (edited). License: All Rights Reserved.

Laß jucken Kumpel by Hans Henning Claer, 1971. For some reason, the Ä in the logo was made smaller.

Mondstrip. Neue englische Prosa by Rolf Eckart John, 1971
Source: www.booklooker.de antiquariat langguth  (edited). License: All Rights Reserved.

Mondstrip. Neue englische Prosa by Rolf Eckart John, 1971

Aktionen auf der äußeren Rinde by Paulus Böhmer, 1972
Source: www.booklooker.de hamsun244 (edited). License: All Rights Reserved.

Aktionen auf der äußeren Rinde by Paulus Böhmer, 1972

Acid. Neue amerikanische Szene by R.D. Brinkmann & R.R. Rygulla (eds.), 1975. At that time, März books were distributed by Zweitausendeins.
Source: www.booklooker.de hamsun244 (edited). License: All Rights Reserved.

Acid. Neue amerikanische Szene by R.D. Brinkmann & R.R. Rygulla (eds.), 1975. At that time, März books were distributed by Zweitausendeins.

Hamlet by Peter Kuper, 1980 (third edition, 1981)
Source: www.booklooker.de Graphem (edited). License: All Rights Reserved.

Hamlet by Peter Kuper, 1980 (third edition, 1981)

Hamlet oder die Liebe zu Amerika by Peter Kuper, 5th edition, 1982. This paperback cover uses a wide E and a narrow T in the title, as well as a K with curved arm in the author’s name. The dust jacket of the hardback edition shown above uses different forms for these letters.
Source: www.booklooker.de Desperado21 (edited). License: All Rights Reserved.

Hamlet oder die Liebe zu Amerika by Peter Kuper, 5th edition, 1982. This paperback cover uses a wide E and a narrow T in the title, as well as a K with curved arm in the author’s name. The dust jacket of the hardback edition shown above uses different forms for these letters.

Blumen für Hitler by Leonard Cohen, 1982
Source: www.booklooker.de Multimediaservice (edited). License: All Rights Reserved.
Die Küche der Armen by Huguette Couffignal, 1982
Source: www.booklooker.de MetisVerlag (edited). License: All Rights Reserved.

Die Küche der Armen by Huguette Couffignal, 1982

Schläfer erwacht by Kenneth Patchen, translated by Marc Adrian, 1983
Source: www.booklooker.de antiquariat langguth. License: All Rights Reserved.

Schläfer erwacht by Kenneth Patchen, translated by Marc Adrian, 1983

Das große Der Die Das by Gunter Schmidt, 1986 (2nd later edition)
Source: www.booklooker.de Anna Celeste Books (edited). License: All Rights Reserved.

Das große Der Die Das by Gunter Schmidt, 1986 (2nd later edition)

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  • Berthold Block

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2 Comments on “März book covers, 1969–1987”

  1. “Your successes will increase if you use good advertising typefaces.” In 1908, H. Berthold AG promoted the new Reklameschrift Block with a specimen booklet. The cover? Black with red on yellow!

    Image: Stiftung Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin (CC0)

    The compact Ä in the MÄRZ logo is not a customization. Such umlaut glyphs with lowered dots were included in the fonts right from the start, as seen on Berthold’s Blockheft from November 1908.

    Image: Stiftung Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin (CC)

  2. Here’s Andreas Seidel’s post about the relaunched März:

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