The Physikalische Blätter was founded in 1943 by Ernst Brüche, who was also the editor from 1944 to 1972.
The last issue of Physikalische Blätter was published in December 2001, at which time it was replaced by Physik Journal.
Members of the DPG and physik.de have on-line access through the Internet portal pro-physik.de to issues of Physikalische Blätter, and Physik Journal back to January 1999.
[1][2] From a circular enclosed with the March 1946 issue of the Physikalische Blätter, the editor, Ernst Brüche, envisioned the publication, as "an undemanding journal to reestablish contacts within physics and to discuss issues of the day."
In the wake of World War II, the journal became an important medium for discussion of science policy.