As the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Germany celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2026, Advent-Verlagstands as its oldest active institution. Founded in 1895, the publishing house has remained a central pillar for the denomination’s mission and theological identity for over 130 years.
Historical Foundations and Global Reach
The publisher’s history is inextricably linked to Ludwig Richard Conradi, a visionary church pioneer. After training in the United States, Conradi identified Hamburg as a strategic "gateway to the world" for the distribution of Christian literature.
Following the acquisition of funding at the 1888 General Conference in Minneapolis, the Internationale Traktatgesellschaft (International Tract Society) was officially established on August 27, 1895. The organization quickly expanded into a multilingual operation with branches in Budapest, Riga, Brno, and Constantinople.
Key drivers of its early success included:
The Colporteur System: Itinerant booksellers reached vast audiences, pushing titles like Conradi’s Christ’s Glorious Appearance to a circulation of 650,000 by 1913.
Theological Synergy: The catalog balanced the spiritual and emotional depth of Ellen G. White with Conradi’s rational biblical interpretations.
Evolution and Modern Structure
Throughout the 20th century, the publisher expanded into health and children’s literature, eventually relocating from Hamburg to Lüneburg in 1994. After a period of corporate restructuring involving the subsidiary Saatkorn-Verlag, the company was streamlined in 2017. Today, Advent-Verlag GmbH manages all primary publishing operations for the denomination in Germany.
Under the slogan "Words that Stay" (Worte, die bleiben), the house continues to produce essential resources, including: Adventisten heute (official church magazine); Hope Magazin and Bible Study Guides; Theological, pastoral, and devotional literature
Managing Director Jessica Kaufmann emphasizes that while the media landscape has evolved, the core mission remains unchanged: "The publication of materials that encourage people to think about God."
The 150th Anniversary: "Courage for Tomorrow"
The 2026 jubilee of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Germany—currently comprising over 34,000 members in 560 congregations—is themed "Courage for Tomorrow" (Mut für morgen). This anniversary focuses on three guiding principles: Bible, Engagement, and Innovation.
As the church looks toward the future, Advent-Verlag continues to serve as the institutional memory and a modern engine for these three core values.
For further information on the current catalog, go here.
Details regarding the church anniversary are available here.
To read the original article, please go here.
