The founders' bold idea has come to fruition. Jakob Schmitz, Albert Maas, Johannes Ernst and Josef Hofmann founded the Aachener Volkszeitung in 1946, supported and initially overseen by the British Allies. This was a crucial step on the path to democracy after the dark years of Nazi rule and war.

The official first edition was published with a print run of 53,000 copies – exactly 80 years ago today. Reason enough for the team of today's Aachener Zeitung to commemorate this day, this eventful and moving history, with a special anniversary edition. Memories, remarkable events, constant change – just as life in Aachen and the surrounding region has changed, so too has the press, specifically the Aachener Zeitung (which, incidentally, has borne this name since 1996). Here's what we have to report: A wonderful celebration at the office with all employees and a birthday cake, lots of stories about the many facets of the anniversary, and also about the challenges and opportunities ahead across all of the brand's channels. And the conclusion: Today is definitely a holiday at AZ!