Lesson plan

Wochenpost

The Wochenpost ( ) was an East German weekly. It was founded in 1953, and circulation peaked at over one million copies per issue from 1971 to the German reunification. The academic Deirdre Byrnes writes that the paper was "one of the most influential" publications in East Germany. Its highest circulation was around 1.2 million copies, making the paper the most popular weekly in East Germany. Wochenpost considered a paper for intellectuals. The paper continued to be published after German reunification until it ceased publication in late December 1996. The model for the Wochenpost was Die Grüne Post (The Green Post). Like the NBI (Neue Berliner Zeitung – New Berlin Newspaper), the Wochenpost covered a broad spectrum of cultural and political topics in East Germany, ranging from daily politics at home and abroad, to art and culture, and including reports on science, sports, and technology. In addition to recommendations on current fashion trends, it regularly featured advice columns with tips on health, cooking, and DIY projects, as well as television listings, various classified ads, and a puzzle page. The magazine was published weekly by Berliner Verlag. The logo for the Wochenpost, under which it appeared for more than 40 years, was designed by the illustrator and graphic artist Johannes Hegenbarth.

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Article summary

The Wochenpost ( ) was an East German weekly. It was founded in 1953, and circulation peaked at over one million copies per issue from 1971 to the German reunification. The academic Deirdre Byrnes writes that the paper was "one of the most influential" publications in East Germany. Its highest circulation was around 1.2 million copies, making the paper the most popular weekly in East Germany. Wochenpost considered a paper for intellectuals. The paper continued to be published after German reunification until it ceased publication in late December 1996. The model for the Wochenpost was Die Grüne Post (The Green Post). Like the NBI (Neue Berliner Zeitung – New Berlin Newspaper), the Wochenpost covered a broad spectrum of cultural and political topics in East Germany, ranging from daily politics at home and abroad, to art and culture, and including reports on science, sports, and technology. In addition to recommendations on current fashion trends, it regularly featured advice columns with tips on health, cooking, and DIY projects, as well as television listings, various classified ads, and a puzzle page. The magazine was published weekly by Berliner Verlag. The logo for the Wochenpost, under which it appeared for more than 40 years, was designed by the illustrator and graphic artist Johannes Hegenbarth.

Key claims

  1. date of foundation: 1953 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
  2. publication date: 1996 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
  3. publication date: 1953-12-23 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

  1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
  2. The record states that the date of foundation is "1953". What evidence would count against this claim?
  3. The record states that the publication date is "1996". What evidence would count against this claim?
  4. The record states that the publication date is "1953-12-23". What evidence would count against this claim?
  5. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
  6. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

  1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1370107907

Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.