The book publishers Hoffmann and Campe (HoCa) apparently separate themselves from the editor in charge of the program, Birgit Schmitz. In an open letter, several authors accuse the Hamburg traditional house that Schmitz "was probably brought to leave the publisher". With the letter, which published the magazine "book market", the authors criticize the separation from Schmitz sharply. "The recent events irritate us and our relationship with the Hoffmann and Campe Verlag very much, but we want to oppose the way in which Birgit Schmitz is dealt with," it says.
Schmitz confirmed at the request of SPIEGEL that she was exempted since the end of September. However, she was still in negotiations with the publisher and therefore could not comment on it. Also Hoffmann and Campe was not ready to comment on the allegations. The publisher said only: "After previous unsuccessful negotiations, the employment relationship with Birgit Schmitz was terminated. Concluding talks are currently pending."
In August, the publisher announced in a press release a new CEO. From October, Tim Jung will take over "the economic and programmatic responsibility for the Hoffmann and Campe Verlag," it was announced. Birgit Schmitz, who has been publishing house director for two years, was to report to Jung in the future as program manager, it was said at that time.
Authors were not informed
According to the letter, it was apparently this decision that led to the dispute. The authors also criticize that they have not been informed by the publisher: "We do not want to put oil on the fire, we can hardly contribute anything to clarify this, because of the appointed CEO or the chair of the Ganske-Verlagsgruppe we have not yet Message received."
"But we are all unhappy about this change," it continues. The letter was signed by several authors - including the Turkish exile journalist Can Dündar and the Austrian film director and screenwriter Michael Haneke.
"We value Birgit Schmitz as a courageous, clever, progressive & not least approachable publisher."
C. Dundar,
I. Dische,
D. Dröscher,
F. Fukuyama,
J. Grosse,
S. Gugic,
M. Haneke,
C. Messud,
H. Otremba,
M. Terkessidis,
M. Toews,
B. Zeman @ HoCaHamburg https://t.co/Kw1qEhDXpk pic.twitter.com/gjUQCjaSdY
The authors also want to express their gratitude and appreciation with this letter. "We value Birgit Schmitz as a courageous, clever, progressive and not least approachable publisher," it states. Not a few authors have "given the self-confidence to publish a book".
"The letter touched me yesterday," said Schmitz. "I feel that not only as a great esteem, but also as an expression of what I have always wanted for the publisher, when you see who has signed the letter."
Birgit Schmitz had taken over the business at Hoffmann and Campe 2017 from Daniel Kampa, who held the position since 2013 and left HoCa to start his own publishing house. Schmitz shared the task in a dual leadership with Stefanie Folle, who took over the sales and the commercial area.
Schmitz volunteered at Kiepenheuer & Witsch and worked there as a lecturer. This was followed by stations at the Berlin Verlag and Benevento Verlag. In addition, she was also an author and wrote, inter alia, the experience report "The pain is the disease" about chronic headaches.
Case reminiscent of expulsion from Rowohlt publisher Laugwitz
The Hoffmann and Campe Verlag was founded in Hamburg in 1781 and was coined in its early days by Heinrich Heine and Friedrich Hebbel. Today political non-fiction books are the focus of the publishing house. He also publishes works by international authors such as VS Naipaul and Doris Lessing. Under the new management of Tim Jung, who had previously led the publishers Atrium and Arche, HoCa is to be further developed "as an important author's publisher", it said.
The separation of Birgit Schmitz awakens memories reminiscent of the publisher Barbara Laugwitz from the Rowohlt publishing house, which last week kept the book industry in suspense for weeks. In their case, authors responded with an open letter, after the publisher had announced that the journalist Florian Illies from 2019 will take over the publishing management. Laugwitz moved to Ullstein book publishing. Read here her first interview to say goodbye to Rowohlt.