Fachverlag Schiele & Schön is a Berlin-based publisher of trade journals, books and digital media, active in fields such as film, TV and photo, fashion, sustainable building and foundry technology. The company was founded in 1946, when the American military government in Berlin permitted Otto Schiele and Willi Schön to publish technical works and related literature. The publisher’s visual identity is a wordmark that pairs the founders’ names with the word “Fachverlag” (specialist publisher), reflecting the firm’s technical and professional focus.
Design and History
The publisher’s logo is a typographic wordmark that presents the company name “Schiele & Schön” in a clean, straightforward letterform. The mark is documented in the publisher’s own materials and in business directories, where it appears as a simple text-based identifier rather than a pictorial emblem. The design relies on the legibility of the name itself, with no decorative elements or symbols attached. This approach is consistent with the publisher’s role as a producer of technical and professional literature, where clarity and directness are valued.
The company was established in 1946 by Otto Schiele and Willi Schön, who were granted a license to publish technical works in Berlin. The first scientific journal, Frequenz, followed in 1947. Over the following decades, the publisher expanded through acquisitions of existing trade magazines and book series, including Gießerei-Praxis in 1950 and the Textilindustrie series in 1952. In 1957, Gerd Bucerius acquired Otto Schiele’s share of the business, and in 1967 Willi Schön’s son Peter was made a co-owner. The company remained family-run until 2002, when it was sold to Karl-Michael Mehnert and Harald Rauh, who took over management. Hans-Gerd Conrad joined the ownership and management circle in 2018. [1]
Throughout these ownership changes, the publisher’s identity has remained tied to its founding name. The wordmark continues to carry the names of both founders, preserving a link to the company’s 1946 origins even as its portfolio of magazines and digital products has evolved. The publisher’s current website and printed materials use the same typographic treatment, with the name set in a standard sans-serif style that prioritizes readability across both print and digital applications. [2]
Meaning and Symbolism
The logo carries no pictorial symbol or abstract mark. Its meaning derives entirely from the company name itself, which memorializes the two founders, Otto Schiele and Willi Schön. The inclusion of “Fachverlag” in the full corporate designation signals the publisher’s specialization in technical and professional subjects. The wordmark’s plain, unadorned character aligns with the publisher’s output of engineering, construction and media trade publications, where a restrained visual identity supports the credibility of the technical content. [1]
Typography and Design
The wordmark is set in a clean sans-serif typeface with even letter spacing. The name “Schiele & Schön” appears in a single line, with the ampersand connecting the two surnames. The typography is uniform in weight and scale, with no emphasis placed on either founder’s name. This balanced treatment gives the mark a neutral, professional appearance suitable for a publisher serving technical industries. The logo is typically rendered in a single dark color on light backgrounds, maintaining legibility in print and on screen. [3]
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