The points of issue
The first appearance in book form is the deluxe Hans von Weber Hyperion edition (Munich, 1912), issued in 100 numbered copies as one of von Weber's Hundertdrucke and printed on special paper. This limited issue appeared shortly after the text completed its serial run. The ordinary S. Fischer trade edition followed in 1913, not 1912.
Is this the true first?
German is the true first. The text first appeared serially in Die Neue Rundschau (S. Fischer) in the October and November 1912 issues, which constitute the first periodical appearance. The von Weber Hyperion limited (1912, 100 numbered copies) is the first book appearance; the S. Fischer trade book edition is 1913. First English appeared from Knopf in 1925 in Death in Venice and Other Stories (trans. Kenneth Burke), later in the H. T. Lowe-Porter translation.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Common S. Fischer trade printings (from 1913 onward) and later collected-works printings are not the 1912 limited true first. English translations are separate firsts thus. Confirm the printed numbered-limitation statement when identifying a von Weber copy.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Death in Venice (Der Tod in Venedig) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: The first appearance in book form is the deluxe Hans von Weber Hyperion edition (Munich, 1912), issued in 100 numbered copies as one of von Weber's Hundertdrucke and printed on special paper. This limited issue appeared shortly after the text completed its serial run. The ordinary S. Fischer trade edition followed in 1913, not 1912.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. German is the true first. The text first appeared serially in Die Neue Rundschau (S. Fischer) in the October and November 1912 issues, which constitute the first periodical appearance. The von Weber Hyperion limited (1912, 100 numbered copies) is the first book appearance; the S. Fischer trade book
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Common S. Fischer trade printings (from 1913 onward) and later collected-works printings are not the 1912 limited true first. English translations are separate firsts thus. Confirm the printed numbered-limitation statement when identifying a von Weber copy.
I have a first edition of Death in Venice (Der Tod in Venedig) — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.