Franz Josef Wagner

Franz Josef Wagner (7 August 1943 – 7 October 2025) was a German author and journalist. He was editor-in-chief of the magazine Bunte and later of the tabloid B.Z., launched Elle magazine's German edition, and wrote a number of books, one of which was adapted for television.

Life and career

Wagner grew up in Regensburg. His father was a teacher. After finishing his schooling, Wagner worked for the Nürnberger Zeitung [de], one of Germany's oldest daily newspapers.^[1] In the early 1960s he worked as a journalist for Bild in Munich. In 1966 Wagner joined the Axel Springer media company in Hamburg. During this stint at Axel Springer, Wagner was for a time a war correspondent. In 1988, Wagner moved to Hubert Burda Media in Munich.^[2] At Hubert Burda Media he served as editor-in-chief of the magazine Bunte. Wagner, together with journalist Günter Prinz [de], started the German edition of Elle magazine in 1988, and the magazine Superillu in 1990. In 1991 Wagner started the short-lived tabloid Super! [de].^[3][4] In July 1998 Wagner returned to Axel Springer, becoming editor-in-chief of the tabloid B.Z.^[5][6] He was replaced as editor-in-chief in 2000, after his paper had published a denigrating article about Franziska van Almsick.^{[7][8][9][10]} From early 2001 until his death, Wagner had a column, Post von Wagner, for Bild, the largest German tabloid. This column appeared five times a week, from Monday to Friday.^[11] Wagner authored eight books. His last book, an autobiography, was published in 2010.

He was married, had one daughter and lived in Berlin-Charlottenburg.^[12] Wagner died on 7 October 2025, at the age of 82.^[13][14]

Books by Wagner

Novels

• Das Ding, Blanvalet. Munich 1978. ISBN 3-7645-0854-X
  • Adapted into a two-part television film, Das Ding [de], in 1979 by German television broadcaster ZDF
• Im September, wenn ich noch lebe. Blanvalet. München 1979. ISBN 3-7645-5302-2
• Big Story, Bertelsmann. Munich 1982. ISBN 3-570-01857-1
• Wolfs Spur, Bertelsmann. Munich 1984. ISBN 3-570-00279-9

As ghostwriter

• Udo Jürgens: Smoking und Blue Jeans – Jahre eines Traumtänzers. Lübbe. Bergisch Gladbach 1984. ISBN 3-7857-0378-3
• Franz Beckenbauer: Ich – Wie es wirklich war. C. Bertelsmann. Munich 1992. ISBN 3-570-02079-7
• Boris Becker: Augenblick, verweile doch … Bertelsmann. Munich 2003. ISBN 3-570-00780-4

Autobiography

• Brief an Deutschland, Diederichs, Munich 2010, ISBN 978-3-424-35041-8