Egmont was founded by Egmont Harald Petersen in 1878, originally as a printing business which soon after became a publishing company. More than 145 years later, this is still what we do in Egmont: We bring stories to life.
Egmont Harald Petersen grew up in poverty in a Copenhagen apartment with his single mother Petrine. At the age of 17, he founded his own printing business, and his mother had to take care of the formalities and pawned her furniture, paintings, pans and sewing machine to finance her son’s ambition. This was the beginning of Egmont Harald Petersen’s career and of our company in 1878.
Egmont Harald Petersen showed early social responsibility and interest in important agendas. He hired the women’s rights activist Valborg Andersen as editor and printed posters for his magazines so that everyone could have art on their walls. He also used part of the company’s profits to help vulnerable children and families, and it has been that way ever since, because Egmont Harald Petersen wanted a part of the earnings from his company to be used for philanthropic purposes.
Today, Egmont is one of the largest media companies in the Nordics, and we are still inspired by Egmont Harald Petersen’s entrepreneurial spirit and social responsibility. All of Egmont is a foundation and for more than 100 years, we have used part of our profits to help others and bring stories to life that matter to people and society.
Timeline
The story of Egmont begins in 1878. On his way through the streets of Copenhagen, the young Egmont Harald Petersen spots a silver coin between the cobblestones, which he picks up and puts in his pocket. This coin becomes Egmont’s lucky coin, because on the same day, Egmont Harald Petersen buys his first printing press, also known as a ‘fly swatter’, and founds his own printing business. He names the company after his mother Petrine: P. Petersens Bogtrykkeri.
More than 145 years later, we still take good care of the lucky coin at Egmont’s headquarter in Vognmagergade in Copenhagen.
From the first simple printed matter, such as business cards and letterheads, Egmont Harald Petersen soon develops his techniques and the company grows. He gets more customers, hires employees and invests in new printing machines. He is the first in Denmark to use colour printing, bringing four-colour printing into the mainstream. He keeps up to date on the latest printing techniques and finds inspiration from abroad and in specialised publications.
Egmont Harald Petersen starts printing the magazine Damernes Blad, and a year later, he also publishes the magazine. He changes the name of the magazine to Hjemmet and puts strong women in charge of the magazine, a rarity at the time.
With this, Egmont Harald Petersen also becomes a publicist and that is still an important part of the foundation of our company. Today continued by Story House Egmont.
Egmont Harald Petersen’s business grows, and he builds a large printing and magazine publishing house in the centre of Copenhagen, named after the inventor of the printing press, Johann Gutenberg. Gutenberghus was also the company’s name until 1991.
Egmont Harald Petersen dies on 5 August 1914 and therefore does not live to see Gutenberghus completed. He never forgets his modest upbringing and ensures with his will that part of the company’s profits should be used to create better conditions for others.
Since 1938, Egmont has collaborated with Mødrehjælpen, focusing on strengthening children of vulnerable and single mothers.
In 1920, Egmont Harald Petersen’s wife, Elisabeth, and their five children, Dagmar, Axel, Inger, Karen and Holger, transform the company into a commercial foundation. This means that Egmont now has two purposes: To run a commercial business and provide financial support to poor and vulnerable children and families.
Egmont obtains the rights to publish Walt Disney’s cartoons and stories in Scandinavia. Dan Folke, Director of Gutenberghus at the time, discovers Donald Duck on his trips to America and brings the beloved figure to Scandinavia and develops the Danish Donald Duck magazine.
After World War II, Egmont expands into countries beyond Scandinavia. First to the German-speaking countries, then to the UK and later to the Eastern European markets, where we mainly publish books and magazines for children and young people.
Together with partners from the media world, Egmont founds TV Gruppen Norge, which in 1992 becomes the leading public service channel in Norway. Since 2012, Egmont has been the sole owner of TV 2 in Norway. In 1992, Nordisk Film, the leading entertainment provider in the Nordics, also becomes part of Egmont, and with this acquisition of one of the world's oldest film companies, Egmont expands into film production and distribution.
Egmont begins to publish books and paves the ground for what later becomes the book publishing house Lindhardt og Ringhof. In 2021, Egmont also becomes the sole owner of Norway’s largest publishing house Cappelen Damm, having owned it together with Bonnier since 2007.
Egmont takes the initiative for Denmark’s first psychological counselling service for children who experience illness and death in their immediate family. Today, the initiative is continued in the Danish National Center for Grief, which has the status of a national knowledge centre.
The Egmont Foundation earmarks funds to create better conditions for children and young people whose parents are divorced. This contributes, among other things, to a reform of the divorce area in 2019 and support for many children, for example via a support person scheme and advice on the Children's Helpline (BørneTelefonen). Egmont has supported the divorce area with almost DKK 60 million.
Egmont takes the initiative for Learn for Life, which works to strengthen the learning and life skills of children placed in care. Today, Learn for Life is an independent organisation that Egmont supports.
Egmont’s magazine and media company, Story House Egmont, ventures into the e-commerce business and starts building a portfolio of successful Nordic e-commerce companies.
In 2014, Lindhardt og Ringhof’s digital publishing house, SAGA, expands its international activities within audiobooks and e-books. And GoGift, a provider of digital gift card solutions, becomes part of Nordisk Film.
In collaboration with the think tank DEA, the Egmont Foundation launches the Early Childhood Alliance (Småbørnsalliancen). Among other things, the alliance contributes to making young children a higher political priority and to a greater focus on children's attachment and development during the first 1,000 days. The Egmont Foundation has invested approximately DKK 150 million in the early childhood area.
Egmont has been giving back to society for 100 years, and we will continue to do so. Every year, we donate about 100 mio. DKK to support children and youth at risk in getting an education and a good life.
Nordisk Games, a part of Nordisk Film, starts investing in European computer game studios and builds a strong portfolio of computer games. Nordisk Film is also the official distributor of Sony’s PlayStation in the Nordics and Baltics.
Every day, Egmont bring stories to life through, among other things, TV, films, games, books and magazines. Our 50+ companies and brands are at the forefront of developments, so that we can create relevant and accessible content for the modern consumer. We continue to support the children and young people who struggle the most to complete upper secondary education and create a good life.