Europäische Bildungsgemeinschaft

In 1963, Bertelsmann acquires the publishing company Wilhelm Schlösser – which includes the Europäische Bildungsgemeinschaft – founded two years earlier in Stuttgart – and the Europäischer Buch- und Phonoklub. The latter is incorporated into EBG in 1971, after which the two Stuttgart clubs are operated under the name. The club sees itself as a European educational service which, besides providing written and audio lessons, is geared towards adult education through language and study trips. With over 1.5 million members at its peak, the club is one of Germany’s three largest book and record associations in the 1970s. Compared to the Bertelsmann Schallplattenring, its range of records has a higher proportion of classical music, coupled with numerous exclusive releases for EBG members. The club offers about 300 new record releases yearly to its members. From 1985, the Europäische Bildungsgemeinschaft continues its club business under a new name - EBG Buch+Musik. Since that year Compact Discs are available through the club. Here, too, they gain popularity and become the preferred recording medium for club members at the end of the 1980s. Due to decreasing demand, the club finally stops selling records in the third quarter of 1992.

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