The publishing house Justus Perthes Geographische Anstalt Gotha originated in 1785, marking a significant development in the production of cartographic material. Johann Georg Justus Perthes established the firm in Gotha, Thuringia, after working as a bookseller in the town starting in 1778. His professional trajectory within the German publishing sector laid the infrastructure for specialized geographical output.
Early Career and Firm Foundation
Born in 1749 in Rudolstadt to a court physician, Perthes grew up within the territory of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. He relocated to Gotha to establish his career. By 1785, he founded the firm that functioned as both a publishing house and a center for geographical works. During this period, the business also took over the publication of the Almanach de Gotha, an annual resource tracking historical and genealogical data of global nations, originally established by Carl Wilhelm Ettinger in 1763.
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In 1814, two years before the death of Justus Perthes in 1816, his son Wilhelm Perthes joined the firm. Wilhelm brought experience from the Hamburg publishing house of Friedrich Christoph Perthes, who was his cousin. Following Justus’s death, Wilhelm assumed full control and initiated the production of the Hand-Atlas, which was published between 1817 and 1823. This project relied on the work of Adolf Stieler, establishing a long-standing emphasis on cartographic detail.
Collaborative Cartographic Output
The firm expanded its reach by employing various geographers during the 19th century. Collaborators included Heinrich Berghaus, Christian Gottlieb Reichard, Karl Spruner, and Emil von Sydow. Following Wilhelm, the business transitioned to his son, Bernhardt Wilhelm Perthes. This leadership era included associations with August Heinrich Petermann, who directed the periodical Petermanns Geographische Mitteilungen, and Bruno Hassenstein. Later, the business passed to Bernhard Perthes, the son of Bernhardt Wilhelm, continuing the firm's lineage.
Fast facts
- Born: 1749, Rudolstadt
- Died: 2 May 1816, Gotha
- Citizenship: Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
- Occupation: Bookseller and publisher
- Firm founded: 1785, Gotha
- Burial place: Main cemetery Gotha
Questions readers ask
What was the primary focus of the firm founded by Justus Perthes?
The firm became highly specialized in cartography and geographical publishing, notably producing the Stieler Hand-Atlas and the Almanach de Gotha.
Who succeeded Justus Perthes in the business?
His son, Wilhelm Perthes, joined the firm in 1814 and took control after Justus died in 1816.
