After the takeover of the company by Dr. Emmerich Morawa in the 1920s, the business object was expanded to press wholesale and retail as well as book wholesale. Gradually the company grew through the purchase of Austrian regional wholesalers. Morawa thus combined its function as an importer with that of a distributor supplying the retail trade directly.

Morawa was one of the first companies in Austria to use an EDP machine (Hollerith) as early as in 1956, and was a pioneer to rely on state-of-the-art technology in both information processing and logistics.

In the 1960s, Morawa also joined the “Leszirkel” (subscription service). By taking over several companies, Morawa took a leading market position in this distribution channel.

Since 1877 Morawa has been operating the bookstore of the same name in the Wollzeile in the 1st district. In the 1980s the bookselling activity was expanded to the whole of Austria. Nowadays Morawa is represented throughout Austria with 18 bookstores.

In 1992 Morawa Buchauslieferung merged with Mohr and founded Mohr Morawa Buchvertrieb. In the meantime, this company has become by far Austria’s largest book distributor.

In 2007, the two press wholesalers Morawa and Mediaprint merged.

The company, now managed by the 4th generation after the eponym of Morawa, still faces the new challenges resulting from the digital revolution in the media industry. In addition to print media distribution, the company also increasingly offers its own logistics as a service for other product groups.

At the end of 2018, the company paid tribute to media change and withdrew completely from the wholesale press business. Since the beginning of 2019, the company has focused on book sales, book retailing, transport services, business subscription services and the Lesezirkel.

Company takeover of WOG “World of Green” including customs
As of January 1st, 2021, MORAWA Berchtold took over the forwarding and logistics company WOG, based in Vorarlberg (Hohenems) and Switzerland (Diepoldsau, St. Margarethen). The WOG “World of Green” operates at four of its own cross-border locations in a Europe-wide network of experienced partners. Always from the perspective of sustainability, ecology and cost-effectiveness in transport are the top priority here.
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In March 2023, Morawa Holding GmbH reduced its majority stake in “Data in Motion STKC GmbH” (formerly Morawa Digital GmbH) to a small minority stake. As of December 2023, the minority share of 10% in “DIM” (Data in Motion STKC GmbH) was transferred.

A matter of the heart and a special highlight was the takeover of the traditional Höllrigl bookstore in Salzburg. On January 1, 2024, the Morawa Group took over Salzburg’s oldest bookstore in Austria.

With its continued operation by the Morawa Group, the bookstore will continue to be a part of Austrian history. “We are pleased to have found a successor in Morawa who will continue the successful path of an Austrian family business in the future,” says Wilhelm Sotsas, previous owner of the Höllrigl bookstore. “Preserving the unique character of the bookstore and gently integrating it into the Morawa book world will be very important to us.” promises Wolfgang Rick, managing partner.