Der Spiegel (German pronunciation: [deːɐ ˈʃpiːɡəl], literally "The Mirror") is a German weekly news magazine, published in Hamburg. It is one of Europe's largest weekly magazines with a circulation of more than one million.
The first edition of the Der Spiegel was published in Hanover on 4 January 1947, a Saturday. Its release was initiated and sponsored by the British occupational administration and preceded by a magazine titled, Diese Woche (This Week), which had first been published in November 1946. After disagreements with the British, the magazine was handed over to Rudolf Augstein as chief editor, and was renamed Der Spiegel. From the first edition in January 1947, Augstein held the position of editor-in-chief, which he retained until his death on 7 November 2002.