Signal. Sonderausgabe der Berliner Illustrirten Zeitung. Deutscher Verlag Berlin, 1940 – 1945.

[ Documents & Research ] → The Distribution in Switzerland

This map, published in 1943 in an in-house brochure of the Deutscher Verlag, shows the distribution system in Switzerland. It is probably representative for the dissemination in this country over the entire duration of the war. The red dots mark the 330 Swiss cities in which the magazine was sold. As can be seen distribution wasn't evenly dispersed but rather concentrated in the northwestern half and the west of Switzerland.

The Swiss distribution system of Signal From: DREI JAHRE SIGNAL, Deutscher Verlag, Berlin 1943

It was especially focused around the major cities of Basel, Zurich, Bern, Lausanne, and Geneva.

The few dots found in the south-eastern parts include some of the Alpine health and skiing resorts like Arosa, Davos, and St. Moritz.

In 1943 the language editions sent to Switzerland consisted of 75% German, 15% French, and about 10 percent Italian issues with a combined print run of about 45,000 copies.

The total number of sales points in Switzerland was 1,500, which means that each kiosk or station bookstall would receive 30 copies on average.

External link: a photo which is part of the Getty Images / Time Life Pictures Collection shows a typical kiosk in Zurich with Signal number 17/41 on sale. You can view it by using their website's search feature and entering the image number 50457241.