Benziger Brothers
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| Parent company | New Mountain Learning |
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| Predecessor | Benzinger, RCL - Resources for Christian Living |
| Founded | 1792 |
| Founder | Joseph Charles Benziger |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Headquarters location | Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Publication types | Books |
| Nonfiction topics | Catholicism |
| Official website | www |
RCL Benziger is a Roman Catholic book publishing house founded by Joseph Charles Benziger, in 1792, in Einsiedeln Switzerland. It is currently based in Cincinnati, Ohio, and operates as a subsidiary of New Mountain Learning.
The company started as a Catholic religious publisher. In 1833, Benziger's sons, Charles and Nicholas, succeeded their father under the firm name of "Charles and Nicholas Benziger Brothers". Two years later, in addition to their book publishing business, they began the lithographing of religious pictures, as well as the coloring of them by hand, before the introduction of chromolithography.
Charles Benziger (b. 1799, d. 1873), a man with a good classical education, devoted himself especially to the literary end of the business. In 1840, the Einsiedler Kalender was founded. The Pilgrim, a popular Catholic periodical established at the same time, lasted only ten years. Charles also took an active part in public life, and served as President of the Swiss Canton of Schwyz.
Nicholas Benziger (b. 1808, d. 1864), who took charge of the technical part of the business, proved himself a pioneer, introducing to the mountain village of Einsiedeln a series of improved trades methods as they appeared from time to time in the great centres of Europe and America. Under his guidance the work of book-binding, which was formerly carried on in the family at home, was systematized. In 1844, the old hand-press was superseded by the first power press. Stereotyping was introduced in 1846; in 1856 steel and copper printing; and in 1858 electrotyping.
On the retirement of Charles and Nicholas Benziger in 1860, the business was continued by three of Charles' sons (Charles, Martin and J.N. Adelrich) and three of Nicholas' sons (Nicholas, Adelrich, and Louis). Under this third generation, the different branches of the house were still further developed, chromolithography and other modern printing methods being added. In 1867, the Alte und Neue Welt, the first illustrated popular Catholic German magazine on a large scale, was begun, and then appeared a number of illustrated Catholic family books and a series of school books, including a Bible history in twelve languages, together with prayer books by well-known authors. Between 1880 and 1895 a fourth generation succeeded to the business, and the firm name was changed to Benziger and Company.
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