The renowned German publishing house dtv Verlagsgesellschaft (commonly known as dtv), founded in 1960 in Munich, is one of the largest and most widespread independent publishers in the German-speaking region, with its publications regularly securing top positions on weekly bestseller lists such as the Spiegel list. The house began its journey as a publisher specialized strictly in reprinting pocket-sized books (Taschenbuch), and Heinrich Böll’s Irish Journal (Irisches Tagebuch) was its very first release, which remains continuously available to this day. Over time, the company evolved to release about 70% of its titles as original first editions across various formats (including hardcovers, e-books, and audiobooks), publishing around 400 new titles annually that span international and German fiction, non-fiction, self-help books, as well as children's and young adult literature.
In 2026, the publishing house stands out prominently on the cultural scene with several of its works nominated for prestigious awards, including the novel Sanditz by Lukas Rietzschel and the novel King Cobra by Muri Darida, both nominated for the longlist of the German Book Prize 2026. Additionally, the novel The Second Greatest Love (Die zweitgrößte Liebe) by Ruth-Maria Thomas was selected as the Book of the Month for July by the German broadcaster NDR, alongside the nomination of Scenario (Szenario) for the Knowledge Book of the Year 2026. The publisher is currently experiencing significant commercial and public momentum thanks to the bestsellers listed in its store, such as the novel Verity by Colleen Hoover—which is scheduled for a theatrical film release this coming October—and Eight Million Ways to Happiness (Acht Millionen Wege zum Glück) by Hiroko Yoda. This is in addition to notable new 2026 releases like ALMANCI Girls (ALMANCI-Mädchen) by Tülin Sezgin, and the second volume of the Lobster Years (Hummerjahre) series by Beatrix Gerstberger.
