Brockhaus Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
Brockhaus is a German encyclopedia. The first edition originated in the Conversations-Lexikon mit vorzüglicher Rücksicht auf die gegenwärtigen Zeiten by Renatus Gotthelf Löbel and Christian Wilhelm Franke, published in Leipzig 1796-1808, which was bought by Friedrich Arnold Brockhaus in the latter year. He paid 1,800 thalers.At first the name of the encyclopedia remained Conversationslexikon or Allgemeine deutsche Real-Encyklopädie für die gebildeten Stände; only with the 15th edition did the name Brockhaus appear in the title as Der Grosse Brockhaus, and the present edition is titled Brockhaus Enzyklopädie.
Few works of reference have been more useful and successful, or more frequently copied, imitated and translated, than the Conversationslexikon of Brockhaus. The work was intended, not for scientific use, but to promote general mental improvement by giving the results of research and discovery in a simple and popular form without extended details. The articles, often very brief, are excellent and trustworthy, especially on German subjects, give references to the best books, and include biographies of living men.
The current 20th edition contains about 260,000 entries on 17,000 pages. In addition to that, there are about 35,000 maps, graphics and tables.