PUBLISHER AND BOOK COLLECTOR - FRANZ XAVER BACHEM (1857 - 1936)
Franz Xaver was the eldest child of Josef Peter Wilhelm and Katharina Bachem, née Degen. His godfather was the family friend and priest Franz Dieringer who taught dogmatics at the University of Bonn and was the co-founder and president of the Borromäus-society.
In 1840, the Cologne publishing company "J.P. Bachem", founded by Johann Peter Bachem (1785 -1822) in 1818, was on the verge of ruin until Bachem´s nephew successfully expanded it in the following years. The book and newspaper publisher, including its printing shop, became the leading publisher of Prussian Catholics because, in addition to books, Bachem published the newspaper „Kölnische Blätter“ which later bore the name „Kölsche Volkszeitung“. It was centered to the competing paper to Dumont-Schauberg´s liberal newspaper "Kölnische Zeitung".
HIS CAREER
Franz Xaver had a thorough apprenticeship. First of all, he completed an apprenticeship at the book and art trade "Henrichsen" in Bonn, after which he also finished a training as a bookseller at F.A. Brockhaus in Leipzig before he joined his father´s business back in Cologne in 1881. Later three of four Bachem´s younger brothers took part in the company as well.
Besides working in the publishing company, Franz Xaver worked intensively for the newspaper in the growing family company. As time went by, he became indispensable support for his father. After the death of Josef Bachem on August 21, 1892, Franz Xaver took the lead of the book and newspaper publisher. In the same year he traveled to the USA to study the local newspaper industry and explore new business areas. In Chicago he visited the world exhibition.
THE YOUNG PUBLISHER
Franz Xaver was very interested in the Catholic groups of German emigrants. Supported by his father, he developed the business idea to print a weekly edition of the “Kölnische Volkszeitung“. The weekly edition was intended for the "German Catholics abroad and their wish to keep in touch with their old home country..."."
The new newspaper supposed to be reliable and “affordable”. Upon his return, he immediately put his plan into action. On September 14, 1893, the first edition of “Wochenausgabe für das Ausland“ was published with a number of eight pages. Right from the start, the supplement relied on subsidies from the leading newspaper, but it kept being published until the beginning of April 1933.
HIS SONS
Frans Xaver had three sons. In keeping with the tradition of supporting the family business, they also worked in the publishing business. His eldest, Karl Lambert, died in the First World War in 1917. In 1920, Hans Bachem took over the printing shop from his uncle Fridolin as technical manager. Franz Xaver Bachem died at the age of 80 on August 7, 1936, in Bonn.
THE BOOK COLLECTION BACHEM
The book collection Bachem was handed over to the old city library but was not placed there under a single signature. Instead, the books were added to the corresponding subject groups. Today they can be identified through the pencil-written entry on the last page of the book. They contain the publisher´s name J.P. Bachem.
You will find some of the books which require restoration in the current book sponsorship program “Ganz Köln steckt immer noch voller Bücherschätze“.
SELECTED LITERATURE
- Josef Bachem : seine Familie und die Firma J. P. Bachem in Köln ; die Rheinische und die Deutsche Volkshalle ; die Kölnischen Blätter und die Kölnische Volkszeitung ; zugl. ein Versuch der Geschichte der katholischen Presse und ein Beitrag zur Entwicklung der katholischen Bewegung in Deutschland / Karl Bachem. - Köln : Bachem, 1912 - , 3. Bände, Signatur: AWMG403
- Franz Xaver Bachem in der Kölner Sammlung von Zeitungsausschnitten