Pious industry

The Benziger Publishing House has shaped the Swiss publishing landscape for over two centuries. As early as the 18th century, the publishing family established a trade in rosaries and religious souvenirs in the pilgrimage site of Einsiedeln. In the 19th century, the company expanded its activities. Benziger became internationally active, with branches in the USA, France, and Germany. In close interaction with the Catholic Church, the publishing house developed into a globally operating Catholic media corporation. Through mass-produced prayer books, devotional images, religious items, and magazines, the publisher significantly contributed to embedding the Catholic faith in the everyday lives of believers and strengthening the importance of the Church. Heinz Nauer's publication sheds light on the history of the Benziger Publishing House from its beginnings to its sale in the 1990s.