German Magazines

How to boost your German language skills while taking some time out!

Categories of German magazines:

It's always easy to learn more about something you’re interested in. So why not try reading German magazines which cover your hobbies, passions, or pastimes?

It's a good way of getting up to date with specialized German vocabulary in a field of your choice, as well as a chance to say “I’m working” while you put your feet up and settle down with a cup of coffee in a quiet corner! ;-)

Here is a selection of some of the most popular German magazines read by German speakers in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

Most are available both in hard copy or online:

News & General

Der Spiegel, 675,000 copies sold weekly. Germany's leading news magazine, with a focus on politics and business. An English version is also available online (not necessarily one-to-one translations of the original German articles, but useful for learning how to translate German terms).

Stern, a weekly news magazine, 360,000 copies. Established in 1948, it is valued by journalist for its focus on photography and longer, in-depth reporting. A direct competitor to Focus and Der Spiegel.

Focus, 250,000 copies, started in 1993 as a competitor to Der Spiegel. Less focus on politics and economics, and more on everyday themes - family, health, finance, careers, etc.

Profil, around 90,000 copies, the Austrian version of German magazine Der Spiegel.

Business

Capital, motto "Wirtschaft ist Gesellschaft", a monthly finance and business magazine selling around 120,000 copies.

WirtschaftsWoche (WIWO), a weekly business magazine, selling around 100,000 copies. Includes a WiWo Green, a portal dealing with green topics started in 2013, as well as annual German university rankings, an annual best office award, and start-up award.

Gewinn, "Das Wirtschaftsmagazin Für Ihren Persönlichen Vorteil", an Austrian personal finance magazine, selling around 50,000 copies monthly.

Handelszeitung, Switzerland's largest weekly business magazine, focusing on economics, investment, politics and lifestyle, selling around 35,000 copies to German-speakers in Switzerland.

Computers & IT

c't, Magazin für Computer Technik, Germany's most influential computer magazine, set up in 1993, and aimed at expert readers.

Computer Bild, the most popular German-language computer magazine after c't, appears fortnightly.

PC-Welt (“PC World”), monthly, one of Germany's oldest computer magazines, for advanced and professional users.

Automotive

Auto Bild, a leading weekly automotive magazine, selling around 250,000 copies, and which has now developed a brand family of related magazines and digital platforms.

Auto, Motor und Sport, appears fortnightly, with a primary focus on test reports. A circulation of around 330,000.

Celebs & Gossip

Commonly known as ”Tratsch und Klatsch”!

BUNTE, Germany's best-selling gossip weekly, covering stars, royals, entertainment, etc., with a circulation of around 340,000. Frequently embroiled in court cases with the celebrities it covers!

Teen

Bravo, the largest teen magazine which has now become a brand in itself, with several spin-off magazines (e.g. Bravo TV - a youth TV magazine, Bravo sport, and Bravo Hits (music) and www.bravo.de, the online portal).

Home & Garden

Schöner Wohnen, literally “Better Living”.

Many homes and gardens magazines are still only available in hard copy, from your local newsagent or on a subscription basis, so I can't provide direct links to online versions. They include titles such as WohnIdee, Landhaus Living, Wohnen & Garten, Zuhause Wohnen – you can see a list here.

TIP! Many popular international magazines have a German version – e.g. Cosmopolitan, Homes & Gardens, Country Living, National Geographic, etc. - try looking them up online by simply swapping the ".com" for a ".de"

Sport

Sport Bild, insight into the world of German sport. Although there's a strong focus on football, you can also finally discover the popular German sport of handball!.

Politics

EMMA, Das politische Magazin für Menschen, the leading feminist magazine in Germany dealing with business and economics, published bi-monthly, and founded by Alice Schwarzer in 1977.

Internationale Politik, Das Magazin für globales Denken, also has a global version in English, and is the Journal of the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP).

Cicero, Magazin für politisches Kultur, monthly, with a conservative focus, intended as the German equivalent of “The New Yorker” or “The Atlantic Monthly”.

Fashion & Style

Commonly refered to as "Frauenzeitschriften"!

Bild der Frau, Europe's most popular German weekly women’s magazine with a circulation of over 500,000 and readership of over 4 million.

Brigitte, a fortnightly title which reaches more German women than any other magazine, circulation of around 800,000 and estimated readership of .

Elle, Elle Deutschland, the German version of Elle magazine, with a focus on fashion, beauty and lifestyle.

Freundin, a fortnightly women's magazine, covering fashion & beauty, diets and cooking, with a circulation of around 360,000.