Electrola, EMI’s West German counterpart, released its first Beatles record in March 1963. For the most part the singles were the same as the UK releases, although several unique German 45s did emerge.

Albums were less standardised, with a number of compilations released especially for the German market. Some of these were by the weekly TV and radio magazine Hörzu.

In communist East Germany (the former GDR) far fewer Beatles songs were officially released by the government-owned Amiga label; just three albums of note were issued, along with just two singles.

It is well known that The Beatles did their first professional recordings in Hamburg, and the Tony Sheridan songs were reissued a number of times in Germany. Odeon was also responsible for The Beatles’ only German-language recordings, versions of ‘She Loves You’ (Sie Liebt Dich) and ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ (‘Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand’).

Albums

With The Beatles
12 November 1963
Odeon O 83568 (mono)
Odeon STO 83568 (stereo)
With The Beatles album artwork – Germany
Die Zentrale Tanzchaffe Der Weltberühmten Vier Aus Liverpool
6 February 1964
Hörzu Electrola HZE 117 (mono)
Hörzu Electrola SHZE 117 (stereo)
Die Zentrale Tanzchaffe Der Weltberühmten Vier Aus Liverpool (Please Please Me) album artwork – Germany
The Beatles Beat
15 April 1964
Odeon O 83692 (mono)
The Beatles Beat album artwork – Germany
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! A Hard Day’s Night
6 July 1964
Odeon O 83739 (mono)
Odeon STO/SMO 83739 (stereo)
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! A Hard Day's Night album artwork – Germany
Something New
10 September 1964
Odeon O 83756 (mono)
Odeon STO/SMO 83756 (stereo)
Something New album artwork – Germany
Beatles For Sale
13 November 1964
Odeon SMO 83790 (stereo)
Beatles For Sale album artwork – Germany
Beatles ’65
15 December 1964
Odeon SMO 83917 (stereo)
Beatles '65 album artwork – Germany
The Beatles’ Greatest
18 June 1965
Odeon SMO 83991 (stereo)
The Beatles' Greatest album artwork – Germany
Help!
12 August 1965
Hörzu Electrola SHZE 162 (stereo)
Help! album artwork – Germany
Rubber Soul
7 December 1965
Odeon SMO 84066 (stereo)
Rubber Soul album artwork
Revolver
28 July 1966
Hörzu SHZE 186 (stereo)
Revolver album artwork
Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
30 May 1967
Hörzu Electrola SHZE 401 (stereo)
Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album artwork
The Beatles (White Album)
December 1968
Apple SMO 2051/52 (stereo)
The Beatles (White Album) artwork
Yellow Submarine
21 January 1969
Apple SMO 74585 (stereo)
Yellow Submarine album artwork
Abbey Road
26 September 1969
Apple 1C 062-04 243 (stereo)
Abbey Road album artwork
Hey Jude
27 February 1970
Apple 1C 062-04 348 (stereo)
Hey Jude album artwork
Let It Be
8 May 1970
Apple 1C 062-04 433Y (stereo)
Let It Be album artwork
A Collection Of Beatles Oldies
24 February 1971
Odeon 1C 062-04 258 (stereo)
A Collection Of Beatles Oldies album artwork
Magical Mystery Tour
16 September 1971
Hörzu Electrola SHZE 327 (stereo)
Magical Mystery Tour album artwork – Germany

East Germany

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