Der Spiegel
German news website, originally a content mirror of the magazine Der Spiegel.
Der Spiegel is a German news website. It was established in 1994 as Spiegel Online as a content mirror of the magazine Der Spiegel. In 1995, the site began producing original stories and it introduced Spiegel Online International for articles translated into English in 2004. The magazine and website were editorially aligned in 2019 and Spiegel Online was rebranded Der Spiegel in January 2020. Regular staff includes 150 people in the Hamburg headquarters, complemented by freelancers, and news bureaus both domestic and international. In the German capital, Berlin, 15 correspondents cover the German federal government, political parties, corporations and artists. The Munich and Düsseldorf offices have one correspondent each. There are journalists based in Washington, D.C., New York, London, Moscow, New Delhi and Istanbul. The online news staff also receives support from Der Spiegel magazine's network of correspondents in Germany and abroad.
- nationality
- German
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
The news website first went up on 25 October 1994 under the name Spiegel Online, making it the first online presence of an established news magazine, one day before the Time site. Spiegel Online started as a service on CompuServe. The web domain spiegel.de was established one year later. Spiegel Online's content initially consisted of hand-picked articles from the print magazine. As early as 1995, however, original content first appeared in a section called 'Scanner', which was only available online. In the following year, Spiegel Online was relaunched and commenced featuring breaking news as well. Spiegel Online International, a section featuring articles translated into English, was launched in autumn 2004. Wolfgang Büchner was editor-in-chief of the magazine and website from September 2013 to December 2014. Büchner's former deputies, Florian Harms and Barbara Hans, headed Der Spiegel after Büchner left the company. On 13 January 2015, Harms was appointed sole editor-in-chief. Following his departure on 6 December 2016, Hans was promoted to editor-in-chief. In 2019, its editorial office was merged with the printed Der Spiegel. In January 2020, the website was rebranded, now using the same media brand as the printed format.
Reader's Guide
Der Spiegel is among the top 30 most visited websites in Germany, with record profitability. It is the most frequently quoted online media product in the country as of 2014. The site's history shows a clear evolution from a simple mirror of print articles to an independent news operation with original reporting and breaking news. The merger of editorial offices in 2019 and the rebranding in January 2020 marked the final alignment of the online and print brands. For anyone researching German digital media, Der Spiegel represents a key case study in how a legacy print magazine successfully transitioned to a major online news presence, maintaining its position as a frequently quoted source.
Did You Know?
- Der Spiegel was the first online presence of an established news magazine, launching on 25 October 1994, one day before the Time site.
- Spiegel Online started as a service on CompuServe.
- The web domain spiegel.de was established one year after the site launched, in 1995.
- Original online-only content first appeared in 1995 in a section called 'Scanner'.
- Spiegel Online International, for English translations, was launched in autumn 2004.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Der Spiegel?
Der Spiegel is a German weekly news magazine based in Hamburg that has been in publication since 1947. As of 2022 it distributes roughly 724,000 copies each week, making it one of the largest weekly news titles in Europe.
Who founded Der Spiegel?
The magazine was launched in 1947 by John Seymour Chaloner, a British army officer, together with Rudolf Augstein, a former radio operator in the Wehrmacht.
What is Der Spiegel most famous for?
It is best known for its investigative journalism and for exposing major political scandals in Germany. Two landmark cases it uncovered are the Spiegel affair of 1962 and the Flick affair in the 1980s.
How large is Der Spiegel's readership?
In 2022 the magazine sold about 724,000 copies per week, placing it among the biggest weekly news publications on the European continent.
Where is Der Spiegel published?
Der Spiegel is a German publication produced out of Hamburg.
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