The points of issue
First English edition, translated by Michael Hulse, published clothbound by The Harvill Press, London, 1996. This was the first of Sebald's books to appear in English and includes the integrated black-and-white photographs. The US edition (New Directions) followed in 1997 as a paperback.
Is this the true first?
True first English edition is the UK Harvill Press hardcover of 1996 (Hulse translation), preceding the US New Directions paperback of 1997. German original published as Die Ausgewanderten by Eichborn, 1992.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The US New Directions issue (1997) is a paperback and a later state; the collectible first is the 1996 Harvill clothbound hardcover. Later paperbacks carry ISBNs and reset number lines.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Emigrants (Die Ausgewanderten) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First English edition, translated by Michael Hulse, published clothbound by The Harvill Press, London, 1996. This was the first of Sebald's books to appear in English and includes the integrated black-and-white photographs. The US edition (New Directions) followed in 1997 as a paperback.
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. True first English edition is the UK Harvill Press hardcover of 1996 (Hulse translation), preceding the US New Directions paperback of 1997. German original published as Die Ausgewanderten by Eichborn, 1992.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
The US New Directions issue (1997) is a paperback and a later state; the collectible first is the 1996 Harvill clothbound hardcover. Later paperbacks carry ISBNs and reset number lines.
I have a first edition of The Emigrants (Die Ausgewanderten) — 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.