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| Editor-in-chief | Timo Pache |
|---|---|
| Categories | Business magazine |
| Frequency | Monthly |
| Publisher | RTL Deutschland |
| Founded | 1962; 63 years ago (1962) |
| Company | RTL Deutschland (Gruner + Jahr brand) |
| Country | Germany |
| Based in | Berlin |
| Language | German |
| Website | Official website |
| ISSN | 0008-5847 |
| OCLC | 803989959 |
Capital is a German-language monthly business magazine published byRTL Deutschland under the Gruner + Jahr brand. The publication is based in Berlin and covers economic, financial, and social issues with the editorial credo that "economy is society."[1]
Capital was founded in 1962 byAdolf Theobald. Two-thirds of its shares were later acquired byJohn Jahr Sr. and contributed to the founding ofGruner + Jahr in 1965.[2] Gruner + Jahr became the sole owner in 1968.[3]
Originally headquartered in Cologne, the editorial office moved to Hamburg in 2009 whenCapital,Financial Times Deutschland,Impulse, andBörse Online were merged into a joint editorial team.[4] After the closure ofFinancial Times Deutschland in 2012,Capital relocated to Berlin and relaunched both its magazine and website in 2013.[5]
On 1 March 2021, the political and business editorial teams ofStern,Capital andBusiness Punk were merged into a joint Berlin bureau. The combined team, comprising around 35 journalists, produces shared coverage for all three titles.[6][7] In February 2023,Timo Pache became editor-in-chief, succeedingHorst von Buttlar, who moved toStern.[8]
Capital presents business and finance topics from social, cultural, and economic perspectives. The magazine is structured around three main sections:World of Business,Invest, andLife, covering macroeconomic issues, wealth management, and lifestyle content respectively.[9] It is regarded as one of Germany’s most widely read business magazines.[10]
In addition to print, the brand supports a robust digital presence, operating a mobile app, newsletters, and a digital subscription platform where readers access extended analyses, proprietary rankings, and financial data tools.[11][12]
Since 1970,Capital has published the annualKunstkompass, a ranking of contemporary artists based on their exhibition presence and media visibility.[13] Other long-running rankings include theTop 40 under 40 ("Junge Elite"), a list of young leaders in business, politics, and science launched in 2007,[14] and theCapital Elite Panel, a long-term leadership survey conducted with theInstitut für Demoskopie Allensbach.[15]
Capital hosts several high-profile business events:
Capital also publishes special issues under theCapital Extra label,[18] and operates the weekly financial newsletterCapital Depesche, available in print and digital form since the 1970s.[19]
In 2019,Capital andOnline Marketing Rockstars (OMR) launchedFinance Forward, a digital magazine and podcast focused on fintech and modern finance.[20] Other podcast formats includeMeine erste Million with journalistRonja von Rönne andDie Stunde Null hosted by former editor-in-chief Horst von Buttlar.[21]
Capital has experienced a gradual decline in print circulation, similar to other German business publications. According toIVW, the magazine sold around 116,000 copies in 2024.[22]
| Tenure | Editor-in-chief |
|---|---|
| 1962–1971 | Adolf Theobald |
| 1971–1974 | Ferdinand Simoneit |
| 1974–1980 | Johannes Gross |
| 1980–1986 | Ludolf Herrmann |
| 1987–1988 | Dieter Piel |
| 1988–1991 | Rolf Prudent |
| 1991–2001 | Ralf-Dieter Brunowsky |
| 2002–2006 | Kai Stepp |
| 2006–2009 | Klaus Schweinsberg |
| 2009–2013 | Steffen Klusmann |
| 2013–2023 | Horst von Buttlar |
| since 2023 | Timo Pache |
| Bertelsmann Home Entertainment |
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