Picus Verlag

Serious Literature, Critical Thought, and a Strong Presence in the Cultural Scene

The publishing house chose the name PICUS, a Latin term referring to one of the oldest kings in Roman mythology—the son of Saturn and the father of Faunus, and the founder of the ancient Latin royal seat in Laurentum. The name also refers to the genus of woodpeckers, which includes 13 species, among them the great spotted woodpecker.

Picus Verlag was founded in 1984 by Dorothea Löcker and Alexander Botika in Vienna. Starting with only three employees, Picus has grown to publish around forty titles annually.

Editorial Orientation and Cultural Identity

Picus specializes in publishing contemporary literature—including novels, short stories, and literary texts—alongside non-fiction works with intellectual, political, and social dimensions. The publishing house is particularly distinguished by its engagement with current issues such as:

Democracy and human rights
Migration and identity
Social and political criticism
Cultural transformations in Europe and the world

A Special Place for New Voices

Picus is well known for its support of new writers and non-mainstream literary voices, often backing texts of high intellectual and aesthetic value, even when they fall outside prevailing commercial trends. This approach has earned the house broad critical recognition.

To date, the more than 900 books published by Picus have received nearly 65 governmental awards, and a comparable number of titles have been licensed to publishers in foreign languages.

At the time of its founding in 1984, publishers Dorothea Löcker and Alexander Botika deliberately ignored any restrictions on the publishing program tied to a specific field or discipline. Today, under the symbol of the woodpecker, Picus offers children’s books, as well as novels, travel writing, contemporary history, memoirs, and essays.

Literature, Translation, and International Openness

Picus Verlag places great importance on translated literature, particularly from Eastern and Southern European languages, in addition to voices from the Arab world and Latin America. The house seeks to present border-crossing literature that reflects the diversity of human experience.

Since 2011, Picus’s German-language catalogue has been distributed worldwide: approximately 70% of its books are sold in Germany, 26% in Austria, and 4% in Switzerland. Picus titles are also available in electronic formats.

Conclusion

Today, Picus Verlag is regarded as one of the most influential independent publishing houses in Austria. It maintains a clear balance between cultural commitment and intellectual independence, with a consistent presence at literary fairs and cultural awards across the German-speaking world.