Philipp Erasmus Reich

German publisher

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July 13, 2026

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Philipp Erasmus Reich was a prominent figure in the 18th-century German book trade, known as "the prince of the German book trade." He is credited with inventing the net price principle and establishing the idea of a booksellers' association in 1765, which later evolved into the Börsenverein der Deutschen Buchhändler. Reich was associated with the publishing firm founded by Moritz Georg Weidmann in Leipzig, a city that became a significant center for German publishing after Frankfurt's influence waned due to censorship.1

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history of publishing
Germany
A Weidmann partner, Philipp Erasmus Reich, was known in the 18th century as “the prince of the German book trade.” He could be said to have invented the net price principle (see below Price regulation) and the idea of a booksellers’ association (1765), which in 1825 became the…
Read More
A Weidmann partner, Philipp Erasmus Reich, was known in the 18th century as “the prince of the German book trade.” He could be said to have invented the net price principle (see below Price regulation) and the idea of a booksellers’ association (1765), which in 1825 became the…
Read More