Verlag Friedrich Middelhauve was a German literary publishing house founded in 1947 in Opladen by Friedrich Middelhauve. The firm is remembered for being the first publisher of Heinrich Böll’s works. The publishing house received its license in autumn 1948 and was shut down in 1952 for economic reasons. Gertraud Middelhauve resumed publishing activities in Cologne in 1961, soon renaming the firm Gertraud Middelhauve Verlag Köln.[1]
Design and History
The logo for Verlag Friedrich Middelhauve is attributed to German graphic designer and typographer Heinrich Wehmeier (born 24 June 1906 in Bad Oeynhausen), with the mark dated to 1950.[2][3] Wehmeier was active as a graphic designer and typographer in Germany during the post-war period; his work was featured in the international design journal Graphis, which published a trademark he designed for A. Basel, Düsseldorf, in its January/February 1957 issue.[4]
The 1950 mark for the publishing house is documented as a rectangular design.[2] The logo was created during the brief operational window of the original Opladen firm, which ceased publishing in 1952, making the mark contemporary with the house’s most active period under Friedrich Middelhauve’s ownership.[1]
Meaning and Symbolism
No official documentation has been located that describes the intended symbolism or meaning behind the Verlag Friedrich Middelhauve logo. The mark appears to have functioned as a straightforward publisher’s identification device rather than carrying a documented iconographic program.
Logo Index is an independent educational archive covering logos, visual identities and graphic design history. All trademarks and brand assets remain the property of their respective owners.
