New Pope Topples Harry Potter From German Bestseller Lists

Posted on April 21, 2005

Reuters reports that Germans are rushing to the bookstores to read the new Pope's writings. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who became Pope Benedict XVI Tuesday, shot to the #1 spot on the German bestseller lists, replacing Harry Potter. Bookstore owners said that Germans are curious about the opinions of the conservative new German pope. A ten year old transcript of a lengthy interview with the new Pope is selling briskly, under the title Salz der Erde (Salt of the Earth).

Salz der Erde publishers, Heyne, part of German media conglomerate Bertelsmann AG, said they were printing more after a surge of interest in recent days. "It's a five-figure print run," a spokeswoman said. Ratzinger's latest book, Werte in Zeiten des Umbruchs (Values in Times of Upheaval), was already sold out after its release a week ago. Publishers Herder plan a reprint of 20,000 after an initial 3,000 copies.

Bookstores in Berlin were running out of Ratzinger stock. "There's been a run in the last week as his name has gained prominence. People are wanting to find out about the man," said the owner of a Christian bookshop in the German capital.