Documentation of the beer label catalog in the area of the former GDR and Berlin

back to the index choice

image003 General Information
image003 Content of the data medium
image003 Naming conventions
image003 Display options
image003 Extension of the catalog
image003 History and display devices

General Information

Even though the zenith of the great collecting theory may have passed, there are still many enthusiasts who collect the most diverse things in one area or another. So it is also usual that there are also aids such as catalogs etc. to the common collecting areas (stamps, coins etc.), which bring the collected pieces in an order. The present data medium contains the result of compiling such a catalog in the field of beer labels, here especially the part of Germany "former GDR until about 1990". The author would like to point out explicitly that this is a joint work of many collector friends, which is dedicated exclusively to the goal of creating an overview of the labels used in the period from 1880 to 1990. Nevertheless, he is aware that there will never be a complete work.

Another reason for the creation of this catalog is a fact that lies in the quality of the object: the labels were not designed for long durability at the time, and so some copies have become extremely fragile over time. In addition, residues of paste in case of softened labels lead to an increased browning of the paper. Seen in this light, the catalog also ensures a durable pictorial representation of objects that, despite good storage, may be destroyed by the ravages of time in a few decades.

Furthermore, I would like to list one aspect for the continuation of the work on the catalog that might lead to different views and therefore I would like to ask for opinions. There will probably not be a stamp collector who fills the gaps in his collection with copies of stamps. However, this in my eyes "bad habit" has recently spread among label collectors, as I can see in conversations and the offers. With the creation of this catalog, every collector will be able to print out pictures from the catalog in the appropriate quality and add them to the "collection". But because everybody can do this, this method loses its attraction. Thus, as an advocate of the collection of exclusively original works, I hope for a change and return to a "culture of collecting".

Another issue in cataloging is the eternal battle over the problem of when one label is different from another. If every collector looks at his collection, he will find that he too has not always proceeded in the same way and so differences to other collectors are understandable. I think that every collector friend has to decide for himself, from when on different copies are stored here. However, it should be noted (and some examples prove this) that despite high resolution during scanning, different paper qualities and also color differences cannot always be reproduced correctly in the display. Especially gold and silver images are often falsified in the reproduction. The quality of the printing technology from this time also did not allow a consistent representation, especially of the colors, over the sometimes long period of use. Furthermore, copies were also included in the catalog which were created and distorted by poor color copying techniques. A special problem are the many pictures of digital cameras that I have been provided with, some of which have led to blurred and blurred results due to bad lighting, perspective distortion and poor resolution. With a lot of effort some things can still be corrected, but the image quality never reaches that of scanned images. Furthermore, it is actually impossible to determine the size of such images. All these special features should not be a point of contention. However, I will not distinguish differences in the cutting of the labels (rounded or pointed corners) in the catalog.

With the catalog, a systematization is also achieved, which makes it possible to classify additional labels. Also about this order one can be divided opinion. But it is the best I could come up with. Important for the systematization was also the aspect to generate the display with a program technical solution as well as to enable further evaluations. A description of the name assignment is given below.

A word on my own behalf: I took the greatest care in creating the catalog. In spite of several control reviews and other checks, errors in the allocation, errors in the systematics, possible double entry of labels or even very simple transposed numbers etc. cannot be excluded - for which I would like to apologize at this point. Of course, I will try to eliminate these errors as soon as possible, if there are no different views on this (I hope there will not be any major disputes). This requires the help of all collectors who would like to report these errors to me at the address given below. If a mail address is available, these collectors will be informed about the changes via electronic mail immediately, all other collectors will receive the changes with the next update. In any case I try to change the catalog numbers of the labels only in case of serious errors, so that own directories can be built up on the given catalog names. Just as I hope that as many collectors as possible will participate in the expansion of the catalog, I also hope for the cooperation in the removal of possible errors and the cooperation in the further design of this compilation.

Issue 06A provides a small maintenance program for a collective file, in which the achieved number of pieces can be entered for each label. Once this entry has been made, a further function of this program can be used to modify the HTML files so that a collector-individual display of the breweries is made (respective display under each label). For this method of operation, however, a copy of the DVD on hard disk is required. Further information under the point „Individual display“.

Content of the data medium

The complete catalog is delivered on a double layer DVD or a DVD and a CD, which are placed next to the pictures (each label, usually with a resolution of 200 DPI) that contain quick display images and HTML control files. The DVD is self-starting and can be started under a Windows system with any browser as well as visible under other operating systems with an internet browser can be made. The combination DVD/CD is unfortunately only executable after copying both media to a PC. Further files may be added for later editions.

Folgender Verzeichnisbaum ist üblich:

·         DATEN Control data, cover letter, DVD cover etc.

·         HTML_BR HTML instructions for the overviews (location selection, brewery selection and label overviews per brewery.

·         LABEL Image files with a resolution of (usually) 200 DPI

·         PROGAMM Programs for further applications

Naming conventions

A naming convention was designed for the labels that allows it, to logically add more labels to the tables, as well as to create a to enable automatic generation of the HTML pages. Only in this way is a fast expansion possible.

The basis for the label directory is a brewery directory, which, with the help of the directories of collector friend Klaus Ehm (Gera) and the "Historical Brewery Directory Germany of the Federal States Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia"; of the IBV was created with few changes and extensions. The essential extension is the introduction of a brewery number, which also forms the basis for further labelling. You will find this identifier on each display page again 5 digits at Display by company name and 4 digits for display by label series. In of the round brackets also contains an identifier whether the displayed company is a brewery or a beer publisher for another brewery.

The labels themselves are marked with the brewery number, beer type and a number which allow for classification and extension. Explicitly the following scheme is used:

obbbfsnn mean here:

The marks used for the beer types are:

Besides these naming conventions for the images, there are other identifiers that are stored in a separate table:

With this information further special compositions are realized.

The labels are classified strictly according to the printed names of the brewery. A division of the breweries according to VEB (K) ..., VEB (B) ... and VEB ... was not taken into account, as this information was omitted in some cases for reasons of space. Certainly there are cases which do not clearly reflect the facts of the case. Labels, which cannot be classified as breweries by inscription, logo or similar, were classified under "U077 - unknown manufacturer". In my opinion after a finding also in this case possible. If the brewery is known to such a label, a synonym was established under the brewery, which refers to the original (e.g. Brauerei Lübz - Exportbiere). In this case the name of the synonym is written under the label, a = -sign and the name of the classified label.Also a reference to a pseudo-label was added to the catalog with "for further labels see ..." (e.g. Riebeck-Brauerei Altenburg).

In round brackets (b x h) the width and the Height of the label specified. These values are exact only for scanned labels, for photos this value can only be estimated.

Furthermore, general information about a label is possible (e.g. "glossy paper" etc.) or individual comments (e.g. "torn" etc.).

Further displays under a label can be pictograms with the following meaning:

·         NEU (new) the Label was inserted within the last half year.

·         AUFL (resolution) the label is only available in a very poor quality

·         VRS the label is shown with front and back side

·         red X          Individual display: Number 0 was set.

·         green hook Individual display: Number 1 was set.

·         green 2…10  Individual display: Number 2 ... 10 was set.

·         green 10+      Individual display: Number 11 ... 50 was set.

·         green 50+      Individual display: Number > 50 was set.

These details increase the information content of the catalog. In addition to this special identification for labels, the names of districts have been referenced in order to find labels reliably (e.g. St. Marienstern -- > Panschwitz).

Display options

Various options are available for displaying the labels:

·         Selection menus that allow navigation down to brewery level

·         Label overview per brewery, sorted by brewery name and beer type

·         Label overview per brewery, sorted by serial number

·         Single label in original size with scroll function according to beer type

·         Single label in original size with scroll function within the series

·         Labels from all publishers to one brewery

·         New publications (added to the catalog within the last half year)

·         Display of all labels for a brewery anniversary

·         Display of all labels for a location anniversary

·         Display of all labels for an anniversary or other event

·         Display of all labels published for carnival sessions

·         Display of all labels issued at Christmas time

·         Display of all labels, correcting information on the Correct label

·         Display of all labels with an overprint indicating collector meetings etc.

·         Publisher overview

·         Publishers with own labels, publishers of breweries outside the territory of the GDR

Further representations may be added in later versions. Ideas are always welcome.

Extension of the catalog ("completion" is the wrong word)

The present catalog was created with the label material available to me from my own collection. The necessary work on it took several months and is certainly not correct in every respect, even though the author took a lot of effort to create, organize and display it. So he is thankful for every suggestion for a more correct presentation, which will be realized in the next version.

The wish is expressly expressed to contribute to the expansion of the catalog by providing original or image material. This cooperation is rewarded by the provision of free follow-up versions. If you provide scanned image material, a resolution of 200 DPI should be adhered to if possible, so that a sharp display is possible. A watermark identification etc. is deliberately omitted.

Of course it is also possible to copy the data medium. A copy protection would increase the costs for the production of the catalog immensely. Rather, we appeal to the collector friends to support the work for an expansion of the catalog and not to pass on copies. In particular, the provision of the Internet version will be financed by the chargeable delivery of the data carrier.

History and display devices

The catalog was initially designed only for your own overview. It soon turned out, however, that other collector friends were interested in using the catalog and expanding it with their own material. The first functional enhancement of the catalog was the slimmed-down version for display on a separate Homepage on the Internet, which was also completely new territory for me. However, a version for internet-enabled cell phones turned out to be a flop. In the current version the display of the labels in full resolution was changed from a single display to a bar display. This has the advantage that the number of files could be reduced considerably. With this version, it is possible to combine tablet PCs and also smartphones with the content of the DVD (corresponding space reserve of 5 GB assumed). Unfortunately this option only works for devices with Android or WINDOWS systems are operated - iOS systems lock themselves legally against additional files and therefore cannot display the HTML pages.

Sources used for the content

As already mentioned, initially only own graphical material for the design of the catalog. The generated HTML text was taken from various applications and used for Display adapted here. In particular, great importance was attached to to use short HTML instructions, because some HTML files contain more than 1000 images for as short a time as possible. The interest of many Collector friends were great and the willingness to cooperate was also available. Thus, image material was delivered by collectors, whose origin could not be proven exactly in every case. However, it should be pointed out here, that the catalog is only a list of as many former Labels was developed and serves as a reference book for the collector friends.

From January 2018 on, the compilation has been supplemented by graphical material essentially from "Die eingetragenen Warenzeichen der Brauereien, 1875 - 1944" >by Herbert Jess and Hans Zornig with kind permission. This graphical material is not included in the counting of the labels, but is intended to help with a temporal allocation possibility. Ideas for further sources of visual material are always welcome.

Starting in July 2019, the possibility was created to display any articles from newspapers, magazines and other sources in PDF format about a brewery or a location. This function is primarily intended to insert and display chronicles about breweries. It should also allow a better chronological allocation of the labels. Here I am very interested in further material. For legal reasons this function can only be included in the DVD version.

Weimar, July 2019

©   Harald Burger,   P.-Schneider-Str. 60,    99425 Weimar,    Tel.: 03643 505485,    Mail: H. Burger