Books and Magazines — Illustrated World History — engravings

"Illustrirte Weltgeschichte" (Illustrated World History) was a popular multi-volume historical work published in Germany during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The title uses the older German spelling "Illustrierte" (modern spelling: "Illustrierte").

Several publishing houses produced editions of this work:

Neufeld & Henius (Berlin)  - 2 volumes, p. 1900-1904 Edited by Dr. Max Manitius, Dr. Th. Rudel, and Dr. Walther Schwahn. Contained 47 woodcut and color printed illustrations per volume. Bound in half-linen with gilt embossing and marbled edges.
Gefion-Verlag (Berlin) - 6 volumes, p. 1900-1929 Edited by Prof. Dr. Edv. Lehmann and Prof. Dr. Peter Petersen. Volume 6 titled "Unsere Zeit" (Our Time) covered World War I and contemporary politics. Featured illustrations and color plates.
Gefion-Verlag (expanded) - Multi-volume, 1929 Berlin, Copenhagen, Malmö, Amsterdam. Volume 3 dedicated to the Middle Ages, Renaissance, and Reformation, with 367 pages and 16 leaves of plates.

The work aimed at present world history "based on the latest research with detailed consideration of cultural history up to the most recent times". It was richly illustrated with wood engravings and color plates, making history accessible to a broad German readership. The Gefion-Verlag edition provided particularly detailed coverage of modern history, with Volume 6 addressing contemporary topics including "world politics in the age of armed peace, the World War, political and social upheavals".

Typical bindings featured:

Half-linen or half-leather with gilt titles.

Marble edges.

4° format (aproximately 18.5 × 25.5 cm).

Rich illustrations including full-page plates and in-text woodcuts.

Today, copies of "Illustrirte Weltgeschichte" appear on the antiquarian market and are valued for their historical illustrations.