Maturazeitung: ideas, topics and texts for your class

A Maturazeitung (Austrian Matura yearbook) is the yearbook magazine a class in Austria makes for the Matura, the Austrian school-leaving exam. It tells what your class has been through from the very first lesson to the Matura: in profiles, texts about each person, a class chronicle and stories about the teachers. This page shows how to structure, write and print it. A Flashbook can take over the profiles as a printed book of profiles, one double-page spread per person, €24.90 per book including design, printing and shipping to Austria, arriving 5 to 7 working days after the last answers and payments.

Start your Flashbook now Ask your team first

The book, the questionnaire and our WhatsApp support are in German. Other languages and shipping to other countries on request.

Left half of a sample double-page spread for a Matura class, in German: a drawn portrait in a red jumper, answers such as the form teacher in 3 words, a snack from the school canteen and an excuse for homework, plus the nominations for the four awards — Sample page. The names and answers are made up; the background and the icons are design examples.

Right half of the sample spread, in German: a drawn portrait in a dark suit, answers such as a moment on the school ski trip and plans after the Matura, a signature, name and the details 8B, in the class since the first year, choreography and birthday — Sample page. The names and answers are made up; the background and the icons are design examples.

What goes into a Maturazeitung? Topics and ideas

Pick what suits you, and give each section one person who is responsible for it:

Profiles. One page per person with photos, a few questions and a short text by someone from the class.
Class chronicle. One paragraph per school year, from the first to the eighth year at an AHS (academic secondary school) or from the first to the fifth year at a BHS (vocational upper secondary school).
Teachers. Short portraits, greetings from the Klassenvorstand (form teacher) and the head, sayings from lessons. Ask first whether a saying may appear with a name.
Ski trip and sports week. Photos and the stories everyone still tells.
Matura ball and midnight performance. The preparation, the rehearsals and the night itself.
Adverts and thanks. Pages for businesses that support you, and a thank-you to everyone who helped.

A structure that works: greetings and the chronicle at the front, the profiles in alphabetical order in the middle, and teachers, ski trip and ball, adverts and thanks at the back.

Texts for the Maturazeitung: how to write about your class

The texts about each person are where things go wrong most easily. A few rules help:

Each text should be written by someone who knows the person well; share out the texts so nobody is forgotten.
Give everyone the same amount of space, for example half a page.
Tell a story rather than a list: a moment from the ski trip, a line everyone knows.
Inside jokes only if the person laughs about them too. Weight, marks, relationships, family and health stay out.
Everyone reads their own text before printing and may have things taken out.

Template for the profiles

A shared template makes the profiles consistent, for example with short headings under which everyone writes their answer:

Form teacher in 3 words
Our teachers' best sayings
Best excuse for missing homework
Best moment on the ski trip
At the Matura ball I'll wear
How our class has changed

Timeline and printing for the Maturazeitung

Count back from the day the magazine should be ready, such as the Matura celebration:

At the start of the Matura year. Form a team, decide on the length and sections, ask for adverts.
By the semester break. Collect profiles, texts, photos and sayings.
Before the written Matura exams. Build the layout, proofread, and everyone reads their own text.
Afterwards. Have it printed, with time to spare before the date.

What printing costs depends on the number of pages, the print run, colour, paper and binding. Get several quotes based on the same details and ask about a proof copy and delivery time. You can pay for the printing from adverts, sales to families and teachers, and the class fund.

Which part the Flashbook takes over

A Flashbook is not a magazine but a book with a double-page spread for each person. For a Matura class of 8 to 42 people, it takes over the profiles:

for each person, two photos, answers, name, signature and four details with icons, collected by phone
design and printing as a landscape A5 hardcover, with “Maturazeitung” or your Matura motto as the title
four awards such as “Best midnight performance”: In the questionnaire, everyone nominates someone from the class; the nominations appear on their own spread and the results on the awards page
a class photo, a double-page spread for special moments, two spreads for signatures and messages, at least 4 blank spreads and sponsor pages on request

Not in the book: the class chronicle, texts about individual people and portraits of the teachers. You make those as a separate booklet, as with the Abizeitung.

How the profiles get into the book

You enquire in 2 minutes and get the link via WhatsApp.
The link goes into the class group chat. Everyone answers on their phone in about 5 minutes and uploads two photos; on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays you see via WhatsApp who is still missing.
Once all the answers are in and all the books are paid for, we design and print. The books reach you 5 to 7 working days later.

Maturaball and Matura celebration: when is the book a good fit?

You take the Matura after the eighth year of an AHS (the twelfth year of school), or after the fifth year of a BHS such as an HAK (business college) or HTL (technical college) (the thirteenth year of school).

The Matura celebration. Everyone is together one last time and can write in each other's books.

Matura ball. If a photo from the ball should be one of the two photos, send out the questionnaire after it.

What does the profile section cost as a book?

Per book, including design, printing and shipping to Austria:

1 to 2 classes: €24.90
from 3 classes: €22.90
from 5 classes: €19.90

The minimum order is 10 books; payment is by payment link, or by invoice for everyone within 14 days, and orders cannot be cancelled. For the whole year group with more than 42 people, the enquiry settles the features, price and delivery time of a special book.

Frequently asked questions about the Maturazeitung

Our school has three Matura classes. Should we order together?

It is worth it: each class gets its own book, and with three classes in one order each book costs €22.90 instead of €24.90.

Is there a template for the Maturazeitung?

You can use the headings under “Template for the profiles” straight away, with or without a Flashbook.

Can our form teacher get a double-page spread?

Yes. The form teacher gets a double-page spread like everyone else and counts towards the 8 to 42 people.

When do we need to start for the books to arrive in time for the Matura celebration?

There is no fixed delivery date. The books arrive 5 to 7 working days after everyone has answered and paid, so start a few weeks ahead.

Abibuch (Abitur yearbook)
The book for the Abitur in Germany.
Abizeitung (Abitur yearbook magazine)
Ideas, rankings and funding, much of which also suits a Maturazeitung.
Primary school leavers' book for the Volksschule
For the goodbye after the fourth year.
Class reunion ideas
For the first get-together after the Matura.