Die Zeit
De rigueur weekly reading for the German intelligentsia. Independent and liberal, this is the pre-eminent broadsheet for news and political analysis. Created in 1946 by the British occupying forces, Die Zeit is owned by the Holtzbrinck Group, one of the major German publishing groups, with a foothold in 80 different countries. The history of Die Zeit has been marked by the great public figures at its helm, first and foremost the “Red Countess” Marion Dönhoff and ex-chancellor Helmut Schmidt, who still serves as managing director.