Details
Title: Der Große Brockhaus kompaktausgabe aktualisierte 18. Auflage in 26 Bänden
Volumes: 26
Language: German
Publisher: F. A. Brockhaus
Year: 1984
Pages: 10,382
I have the "compact edition" of Der Große Brockhaus. The normal 18th edition Brockhaus consisted of 12 normal volumes (plus a number of supplementary volumes). The compact edition splits each normal volume (plus a volume of additions/edits) into 2 volumes each and removes introductions, fold-outs, clear anatomy pages, etc., while maintaining the entire text and the general photographs, illustrations, diagrams, and maps that were present therein. It has been updated (particularly in the last two volumes, which are exclusively additions/edits) from 1977 (when the normal 18th edition appeared) to 1983/1984. In short, (12 + 1) normal volumes multiplied by 2 = 26 compact edition volumes.
Since this is the economical compact edition, there is no preface or introduction laying out the encyclopedia's methodology or recommended use; it jumps straight into A. The last few pages of each volume includes a list of common abbreviations used as well as a guide to symbols, but otherwise each volume is just main encyclopedia text. Entries in the first 24 volumes which have updates or addenda in the 2 "updated information" volumes are marked with a tiny triangle. The encyclopedia is in full-color (see example pictures).
Sample Entries
As with all of my reference work guide posts, I try to look up the same two words in order to provide a fair comparison between works: "umbrella" and "Saint Louis." Here are two entries for "umbrella" - the first, "Regenschirm," (specifically, rain umbrella) is from volume 18, p. 74. The second, much longer entry, "Schirm" (the umbrella term for umbrella), is from volume 19, p. 198, with illustrations on pages 198-200 to accompany the article.
Regenschirm, ein Schutz gegen Regen; schon im 9. Jh. bekannt, seit dem 19. Jh. allgemein verwendet.
Rain Umbrella, a protection against rain; in use as early as the 9th century and generally since the 19th century.
Schirm [ahd. scirm ›Schild‹], 1) Schutz gegen Sonne und Regen. Der Bezugsstoff wird mittels eines an einem Stab befestigten Drahtgestelles aufgespannt. Beim Taschen-S. hat der Stab ineinanderschiebbare Teile; Gestell und Bezug werden gefaltet.
Geschichtliches. Als Sonnenschutz wie auch als Zeichen von Macht und Ansehen vom Diener über den Würdenträger gehalten, war der S. im Altertum im ganzen Orient in Gebrauch, mit mehreren Etagen in China, Indien, Siam, reich ausgestattet bei Assyrern und Persern, aus Federn, Palmblättern, Stoff- oder Lederstreifen in Ägypten. Aus dem Orient kam er nach Griechenland, wo er, von der Dienerin nachgetragen, zum Gebrauchsgegenstand der vornehmen Dame wurde; er war ein dem Priester gebührendes Zeichen der Würde. Aus dem Orient übernahm auch die christl. Kirche den S. als Zeichen von Macht und Heiligkeit, bis er im 13. Jh. vom Baldachin abgelöst wurde. Als Gebrauchsgegenstand tauchte er erst im 16. Jh. in Portugal und Spanien wieder auf. Die Unterscheidung zwischen Sonnen- und Regen-S. trat erst im 18. Jh. hervor. (Weitere Bilder S. 199 und 200)
2) die Dolde (⟶Blütenstand).
3) in der Röntgen-, Kern- und Nachrichtentechnik ⟶Abschirmung. Bildschirm, ⟶Leuchtschirm, ⟶Bildröhre, ⟶Fernsehen, ⟶Röntgenstrahlen; ⟶Bildwand.
4) gallertiger S. (Schirmgallerte) der Medusen (⟶Hohltiere).
Umbrella [Old High German scirm 'shield'], 1) Protection against the sun and rain. The fabric is spread out on a stable wire frame fastened to a pole. The poles of pocket umbrellas are made up of pieces that can collapse into themselves; the frame and fabric are folded.
Historical. In ancient times the umbrella was in use throughout the entire Orient as a sunscreen as well as a symbol of power and status held by servants over dignitaries, with multiple levels in China, India, and Siam, richly furnished in Assyria and Persia, and made from feathers, palm leaves, fabric and leather strips in Egypt. From the Orient it passed into Greece, where it was carried by handmaidens as a commodity for noble women; it was a symbol of dignity befitting priests. The Christian church also used the umbrella, again borrowed from the Orient, as a symbol of power and holiness, until it was replaced by the baldachin in the 13th century. It first began to be used again as a commodity in the 16th century in Portugal and Spain. The differentiation between a sun umbrella and a rain one first arose in the 18th century. (Additional pictures on pp. 199 and 200)
2) The umbel (⟶blossom).
3) In X-Ray, nuclear, and news technology ⟶shielding. Display, ⟶luminescent screen, ⟶monitor tube, ⟶television, ⟶X-Rays; ⟶projection screen.
4) Gelatinous umbrella (mesogloea) of the medusa jellyfish (⟶Coelenterate)
Note that definition 2 is marked with a symbol for "Botanik" (Botany), 3 with "Technik" (Technology), 4 with "Zoologie, Viehzucht" (Zoology, Husbandry); I could not reproduce the symbols here, but they can be seen in the first illustration for this entry. The illustration on page 200, not reproduced here, features a small diagram of the parts of the umbrella (definition 1), each labelled. The definitions of "Schirm" beyond "umbrella" do a good job of showing the intertextual ⟶ hyperlinks the Brockhaus uses to guide the reader to other entries. The entry for "Saint Louis," also found in volume 19, on page 17, exemplifies the geographical entries, with a focus on industry and landmarks, accompanied by a brief historical note:
Saint Louis [sntl'uɪs], Stadt in Missouri, USA, auf dem rechten Ufer des Mississippi, 16 km unterhalb der Mündung des Missouri, (1976) 519 300 Ew. (davon 41% Neger; Metropolitan Area 2,384 Mio. Ew.), hat als Handels- und Industriestadt sowie als Verkehrsknoten (Eisenbahn, Binnenschiffahrt, Straße und Flughafen) überregionale Bedeutung; der ›Gateway Arch‹ im Gebiet der abgerissenen Altstadt (191 m hoch, aus rostfreiem Stahl, von Eero Saarinen, 1964 fertiggestellt) ist Symbol für die Rolle von S. L. als Tor zum Westen. S. L. ist Kulturzentrum mit Museen, Theater, Sinfonieorchester, 3 Univ.; kath. Erzbischofssitz; Wainwright Building (Stahlskelett-Hochhaus von L. H. Sullivan, 1890/91). Als einer der wichtigsten Flußhäfen der USA hat S. L. bed. Vieh-, Getreide-, Woll- und Holzhandel. Die Industrie erzeugt auf der Grundlage des Bergbaus der Umgebung Eisen, Blei, Zink, Kupfer, Aluminium und Magnesium, ferner Flugzeuge, Autos, Schuhe, Chemikalien, Textilien, Elektronik-Teile, Nahrungsmittel u.a. — 1764 als frz. Handelsniederlassung gegr. (nach Ludwig IX. von Frankreich benannt), kam S. L. 1803/04 an die USA und wurde bed. Zentrum des Pelzhandels und Ausgangspunkt für die Besiedlung des amerikan Westens.
Photo caption: Saint Louis: Das alte Gerichtsgebäude (1839-64 erbaut), dahinter der Gateway Arch Saint Louis: The Old Courthouse (built 1839-64), behind it the Gateway Arch.
Saint Louis, city in Missouri, USA, on the right-hand bank of the Mississippi, 16 km below the Missouri convergence, 1976 population 519 300 (of that, 41% black; metropolitan area 2.384 million residents). It has nationwide importance as a trade and industrial city as well as a transportation hub (railroad, inland shipping, highways and airport); the Gateway Arch in the area of the torn-down old city (191 m tall, completed in 1964, made out of stainless steel, by Eero Saarinen) is a symbol for St Louis's roll as the gateway to the west. St Louis is a center of culture, with museums, theater, a symphony orchestra, 3 universities, the seat of a catholic archdiocese, and the Wainwright building (steel-structure skyscraper by L. H. Sullivan, 1890-91). As one of the most important airports in the USA, St. Louis has meaningful trade in livestock, grains, wool, and lumber. The industry grew from the mining book in the area of iron, lead, zinc, copper, aluminum, and magnesium, in addition to airplanes, cars, shoes, chemicals, textiles, electronic components, foodstuffs, etc. — Founded in 1764 as a French trading settlement (named for Louis IX of France), St Louis became a part of the USA in 1803-4 and became an important center for the fur trade and departure point for the settlement of the American West.