Reinhard Mohn
Encyclopedia
Reinhard Mohn was a German businessman who turned Bertelsmann
, a "provincial, war-shattered German publisher", into the sixth largest media conglomerate in the world.
, Westphalia
, the fifth of six children of Heinrich Mohn. His great-great- or great-grandfather, Carl Bertelsmann, had founded the family publishing company in the town in 1835.
The eighteen-year-old Mohn was drafted for World War II
. A lieutenant in Erwin Rommel
's Afrika Korps
, he was wounded and captured by the Americans in Tunisia in 1943. He ended up in Camp Concordia
, a prisoner of war
camp in Kansas
. There, he learned English as well as American business practices.
. Though his father had been either a member or supporter of the SS
, the company was able to obtain a publishing permit from the occupying British. (Nearly half a century later, Austrian journalist Hersch Fischler determined that the company had, contrary to its official version of its wartime activities, worked closely with the Nazi regime
from the 1930s through the war, and had probably employed Jewish slave labour
at some of its plants. Reinhard Mohn however was not involved in the company's operations during World War II.)
Mohn ran the company as chief executive officer from 1947 to 1981. Initially short of capital, he raised it from the employees by offering them a profit sharing
arrangement, earning him the nickname "Red Mohn". He introduced the American concept of the book club
with great success in 1950; within four years, he had over a million subscribers. He expanded into Spain in 1962 with the Círculo de Lectores (Readers' Circle). The revenue from book club sales enabled him to acquire other publishing companies, including Bantam Books
, Doubleday, and Random House
; record labels, such as RCA Victor; and radio and television chains, including Germany's RTL Television
and 90% of Britain's Channel Five
. He took the company public in 1971.
He retired in 1981, but became alarmed at the direction in which one of his successors, Thomas Middelhoff
, was taking the firm and ousted him in 2002. The family reasserted its control.
He has appeared numerous times on Forbes magazine's list of the richest people in the world. In March 2009, Forbes estimated that Mohn and his family were worth $2.5 billion, good enough to make them the 261st wealthiest family in the world.
He maintained a low-profile, "self-effacing" style of management, allowing his subordinates great latitude. Despite his great wealth, he often lunched in the staff canteen.
Mohn set up the non-profit Bertelsmann Foundation
to promote social and political reform in 1977. In 1993, he endowed it with 69% of his Bertelsmann shares, though the voting shares were held by another company, half of whose directors were from his family.
at a company function. They had two sons, Christoph and Andreas, and a daughter, Brigitte, and eventually married in 1982.
He died on 3 October 2009 at the age of 88. He was survived by his second wife and his six children.
in 1996, awarded the Premio Príncipe de Asturias
in Communication and Humanities in 1998, and given an honorary doctorate from the University of Münster
in 2001.
Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann AG is a multinational media corporation founded in 1835, based in Gütersloh, Germany. The company operates in 63 countries and employs 102,983 workers , which makes it the most international media corporation in the world. In 2008 the company reported a €16.118 billion consolidated...
, a "provincial, war-shattered German publisher", into the sixth largest media conglomerate in the world.
Early life
He was born in GüterslohGütersloh
Gütersloh is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, in the area of Westphalia and the administrative region of Detmold. Gütersloh is the administrative centre for a district of the same name and has a population of 96,320 people.- Geography :...
, Westphalia
Westphalia
Westphalia is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Arnsberg, Bielefeld, Dortmund, Minden and Münster.Westphalia is roughly the region between the rivers Rhine and Weser, located north and south of the Ruhr River. No exact definition of borders can be given, because the name "Westphalia"...
, the fifth of six children of Heinrich Mohn. His great-great- or great-grandfather, Carl Bertelsmann, had founded the family publishing company in the town in 1835.
The eighteen-year-old Mohn was drafted for World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. A lieutenant in Erwin Rommel
Erwin Rommel
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
's Afrika Korps
Afrika Korps
The German Africa Corps , or the Afrika Korps as it was popularly called, was the German expeditionary force in Libya and Tunisia during the North African Campaign of World War II...
, he was wounded and captured by the Americans in Tunisia in 1943. He ended up in Camp Concordia
Camp Concordia
Camp Concordia was a Prisoner-of-war camp that operated from 1943-1945. Its location is two miles north and one mile east of Concordia, Kansas...
, a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
camp in Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
. There, he learned English as well as American business practices.
Business career
When he was released and returned home in 1946, his father persuaded him to go work in the family business. The premises had been destroyed by Allied bombingStrategic bombing during World War II
Strategic bombing during World War II is a term which refers to all aerial bombardment of a strategic nature between 1939 and 1945 involving any nations engaged in World War II...
. Though his father had been either a member or supporter of the SS
Schutzstaffel
The Schutzstaffel |Sig runes]]) was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Built upon the Nazi ideology, the SS under Heinrich Himmler's command was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity during World War II...
, the company was able to obtain a publishing permit from the occupying British. (Nearly half a century later, Austrian journalist Hersch Fischler determined that the company had, contrary to its official version of its wartime activities, worked closely with the Nazi regime
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
from the 1930s through the war, and had probably employed Jewish slave labour
Forced labor in Germany during World War II
The use of forced labour in Nazi Germany and throughout German-occupied Europe during World War II took place on an unprecedented scale. It was a vital part of the German economic exploitation of conquered territories. It also contributed to the mass extermination of populations in German-occupied...
at some of its plants. Reinhard Mohn however was not involved in the company's operations during World War II.)
Mohn ran the company as chief executive officer from 1947 to 1981. Initially short of capital, he raised it from the employees by offering them a profit sharing
Profit sharing
Profit sharing, when used as a special term, refers to various incentive plans introduced by businesses that provide direct or indirect payments to employees that depend on company's profitability in addition to employees' regular salary and bonuses...
arrangement, earning him the nickname "Red Mohn". He introduced the American concept of the book club
Book club
A book discussion club is a group of people who meet to discuss a book or books that they have read and express their opinions, likes, dislikes, etc. It is more often called simply a book club, a term that is also used to describe a book sales club, which can cause confusion...
with great success in 1950; within four years, he had over a million subscribers. He expanded into Spain in 1962 with the Círculo de Lectores (Readers' Circle). The revenue from book club sales enabled him to acquire other publishing companies, including Bantam Books
Bantam Books
Bantam Books is an American publishing house owned entirely by Random House, the German media corporation subsidiary of Bertelsmann; it is an imprint of the Random House Publishing Group. It was formed in 1945 by Walter B. Pitkin, Jr., Sidney B. Kramer, and Ian and Betty Ballantine...
, Doubleday, and Random House
Random House
Random House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
; record labels, such as RCA Victor; and radio and television chains, including Germany's RTL Television
RTL Television
Rtl.de' redirects here. For other uses, see RTL.RTL Television , or simply RTL, is a German commercial television station distributed via cable and satellite along with DVB-T , in larger population centres...
and 90% of Britain's Channel Five
Channel Five
Channel 5 is a television network that broadcasts in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1997, it was the fifth and final national terrestrial analogue network to launch. The station was branded as Five between 2002 and 2010...
. He took the company public in 1971.
He retired in 1981, but became alarmed at the direction in which one of his successors, Thomas Middelhoff
Thomas Middelhoff
Thomas Middelhoff is a German corporate manager. He was on the board of directors of Bertelsmann from 1990–2002, being CEO from 1998...
, was taking the firm and ousted him in 2002. The family reasserted its control.
He has appeared numerous times on Forbes magazine's list of the richest people in the world. In March 2009, Forbes estimated that Mohn and his family were worth $2.5 billion, good enough to make them the 261st wealthiest family in the world.
He maintained a low-profile, "self-effacing" style of management, allowing his subordinates great latitude. Despite his great wealth, he often lunched in the staff canteen.
Mohn set up the non-profit Bertelsmann Foundation
Bertelsmann Foundation
The Bertelsmann Foundation is the largest private operating non-profit foundation in Germany, created in 1977 by Reinhard Mohn. The Bertelsmann Foundation holds 77.4 percent of Bertelsmann AG....
to promote social and political reform in 1977. In 1993, he endowed it with 69% of his Bertelsmann shares, though the voting shares were held by another company, half of whose directors were from his family.
Personal life
He was married twice. He had a son, Johannes, and two daughters with his first wife, Magdalene, whom he married in 1949. At the age of 38, he met seventeen-year-old switchboard operator Liz BeckmannLiz Mohn
Liz Mohn née Beckmann is the widow of Reinhard Mohn, the owner of the media conglomerate Bertelsmann. She serves on the supervisory board of Bertelsmann and on the board of the Bertelsmann Foundation....
at a company function. They had two sons, Christoph and Andreas, and a daughter, Brigitte, and eventually married in 1982.
He died on 3 October 2009 at the age of 88. He was survived by his second wife and his six children.
Honours
Reinhard Mohn was recognized with the Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1994, and the Order of Merit with Star in 1998. He was made an honorary member of the Club of RomeClub of Rome
The Club of Rome is a global think tank that deals with a variety of international political issues. Founded in 1968 at Accademia dei Lincei in Rome, Italy, the CoR describes itself as "a group of world citizens, sharing a common concern for the future of humanity." It consists of current and...
in 1996, awarded the Premio Príncipe de Asturias
Prince of Asturias Awards
The Prince of Asturias Awards are a series of annual prizes awarded in Spain by the Prince of Asturias Foundation to individuals, entities or organizations from around the world who make notable achievements in the sciences, humanities, and public affairs....
in Communication and Humanities in 1998, and given an honorary doctorate from the University of Münster
University of Münster
The University of Münster is a public university located in the city of Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. The WWU is part of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, a society of Germany's leading research universities...
in 2001.