The points of issue
German first edition, S. Fischer Verlag, Berlin, 1927. The first printing is identified by the statement '1.-15. Auflage' (1. bis 15. Auflage) on the copyright page (and repeated on the front jacket panel), and by the separately paginated booklet 'Tractat vom Steppenwolf' bound in between pages 64 and 65 with its own (yellow) wrappers. Issued in pale blue linen with the gilt 'hh' monogram on the front board. Original dust jacket is scarce.
Is this the true first?
The German S. Fischer 1927 edition is the true first. The first English edition (US Henry Holt, 1929, translated by Basil Creighton) is the English first thus.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later German printings carry a higher Auflage statement (a higher 'Tausend') on the copyright page; the first printing reads '1.-15. Auflage.' The Creighton English translation (Holt, 1929) is not the world first; the later Joseph Mileck revision of the Creighton translation is a different, separate text state.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Steppenwolf (Der Steppenwolf) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: German first edition, S. Fischer Verlag, Berlin, 1927. The first printing is identified by the statement '1.-15. Auflage' (1. bis 15. Auflage) on the copyright page (and repeated on the front jacket panel), and by the separately paginated booklet 'Tractat vom Steppenwolf' bound in between pages 64 and 65 with its own (yellow) wrappers. Issued in pale blue linen with the gilt 'hh' monogram on the front board. Original dust jacket is scarce.
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. The German S. Fischer 1927 edition is the true first. The first English edition (US Henry Holt, 1929, translated by Basil Creighton) is the English first thus.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later German printings carry a higher Auflage statement (a higher 'Tausend') on the copyright page; the first printing reads '1.-15. Auflage.' The Creighton English translation (Holt, 1929) is not the world first; the later Joseph Mileck revision of the Creighton translation is a different, separate text state.
I have a first edition of Steppenwolf (Der Steppenwolf) — 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.