TIMERIDEHistorical Blog
The story of the newspaper child
"Extra sheet! Just a penny!"
Let’s dive into the llively streets of the Cologne 1926when a familiar shout filled the air: “Extrablatt! Just a penny!” The newspaper child – the Instagram, the daily news and the live ticker from back then – played a decisive role in the dissemination of news and information.
by Katharina Heinrich on 27.01.2026
The birth of the newspaper child
In the turmoil of the 19th century, when the newspapersprint exploded and the masses thirsted for information, there was for the first time newspaper childer. Tuee children had always have a fresh copy in hand and the latest Headlines on your lips. They were not only sellers, but also bearers of the current events. At a time when many families through the Erst World War the father, and therefore the main breadwinner, was absent, the children had to go to the Income contribute. Child labor was at the beginning of the 20th century legal and commonplace. Many children from poor families earned a few pennies by selling newspapersby delivering the newspapers to the publishers with a Quantity discount and then gresold at a profit. Dhe profit was usually half a pfennig per newspaper soldwhich is why many tried to get rid of their newspapers until late into the night.
The role of the newspaper child and its distribution
The newspaper children were not only businessmen, but also information–pioneers. With loud shouts, they announced the day’s headlines as they wandered through busy streets. Their lively performances captured the attention of passers-by, and soon the slogan “Extrablatt! Just one penny!” became a familiar sound to the ears of the townspeople. Newspaper childrenr was to be found in many European cities, whether Berlin, Paris or Cöln. These small news brokers helped to ensure that up-to-date information was available in a time without Broadcasting or internet reached the general public quickly and effectively. They were the ancestors of RSS feeds and digital news tickers and the pioneers of today’s News journalism. If you too have ever followed a paperboy through the streets of of Cologne in the year 1926 walk then visit us in our Senseum in Cologne.
Jonas Mortsiefer
Studied Public History in his Master’s degree, is only good at remembering dates to a limited extent and prefers to ask what moved and drove people back then and what this has to do with the present. For example, in his field of interest of historical architecture and urban planning – because, if you like, both are nothing other than the manifested history of ideas and the built past.
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