Well, this morning was one of the frostiest days we've had so far. It was 9.7 F outside and 59 F inside. (Ok kids, can you convert to Celsius?) But, yes, I am loving it. I have really had a chance to enjoy all of my winter clothes, even the flannel lined jeans that my mom and my mother-in-law gave me. Now, if someone could just figure out how to keep my tea hot while I write! :-)
And about that writing, did you know that everything you have in print on paper is thanks to another German named Johannes? This time, it is Johannes Gutenberg. Johannes Gutenberg is credited with making the printing press. (Printed material was available in Asian countries long before but not as movable type, which made it much easier to mass produce and distribute.) What amazes me is how long ago this actually happened. Johannes Gutenberg came from a city called Mainz, in the central western side of Germany. He was born around the year of 1398!! As a trade, he worked in Strasbourg (along the French/German border in the southwest of Germany) as a goldsmith and with metals. He also made and polished mirrors, a real luxury item of the day. (Mirrors near that time were made with a tin and mercury combination as the reflecting surface that was very expensive to make. Not many people could afford to have them.) It was while in Strasbourg that he came up with the idea of the printing press.
By 1440, his tinkering with movable print had evolved into the first stages of his printing press. By 1448, he had returned to Mainz, where he perfected his new machine. In 1450, his press was in full production. A German poem is thought to have been the first item printed in reasonable quantities. Another item that was printed in significant quantities were Catholic indulgences. These were papers people could "earn" that would allow them a forgiveness or reduction in suffering from sin. It was often done in disguise as giving a "donation" to the church for specific projects, such as building funds. The church paid well enough for the papers that Gutenberg's printing press could make money from his invention.
Up till this time, Bible's were also a major luxury item. Monks and scribes mostly had to hand-write and hand-bound every copy of the books they printed. In some cases, printers were able to use hand-carved wood pieces to press onto the paper to get the print. This was a very slow process and was also very expensive. People only knew of the Bible what they heard in church, and stories for pleasure were mostly by word of mouth. Most bound books were for religious, educational, or theological purposes, often found only at churches and universities. The common man had no reason to be able to read or write.
One of Gutenberg's major accomplishments with the printing press, though, was the printing of the Bible. By 1455, he had finished production on what is known today as the Gutenberg Bible. It had 42 lines to the page. A total of around 180 copies were printed, and each one cost a total of three years' wages for an average clerk. However, this was not as expensive as paying a scribe for the same job that could take a year or more. Due to the costs associated with the printing of the Bible, though, he did not see any financial success until his last three years of his life. He had to turn over all of his equipment and shop to the people he owed. But by 1465, he finally was recognized and moderately rewarded for his accomplishments. He had resettled in the area of his childhood home and was deemed a Gentleman of the Court by the ruling archbishop. He died in 1468. (Extra credit: how did the Gutenberg printing press actually work. Research it and see what you can find.)
Gutenberg is credited with allowing the Renaissance to spread across Europe. With the possibility of sharing art and information at a more affordable and faster pace, many people finally had the opportunity to become well educated. It was also important in allowing the religious reforms that soon spread to take hold. Martin Luther's oppositions to the Church (his 95 Theses) were printed and distributed throughout the region. Without the ability to put the knowledge of the Bible into the hands of the common people, their understanding of the church and its principles were controlled by the Bishops and the Catholic church, who by this time were often corrupt. Newspapers came into being in the early 1600s so that people could receive information about their surroundings and other happenings in the world. Two additional Germans, Friedrich Koenig and Andreas Friedrich Bauer, helped to make printable type even more available in 1811, by creating the first steam-powered press, requiring no manpower to make it go. Reading for pleasure became another creative outlet made possible with mass produced books. Music, science, math, literature ... just about every possible part of our lives today are affected by the invention of printable type.
Interestingly enough, it is now up for debate of how the digital age may finally bring an end to this great invention. Today, there is a major initiative to making all books available digitally for free. The project is called Project Gutenberg. To date there are over 27,000 books available digitally from Project Gutenberg, able to be downloaded to your computer or other digital devices. Books are also available as books on tape or cd. Movies and television have also had a large impact on the use of printed books and materials. Most newspapers have gone to the web to distribute their information. And it has been claimed that in my lifetime, books of printable type will cease to exist as a medium, except as a collector's item. I have to admit, I hope it will take longer than my lifetime for this to happen. One of my many favorite things to do is to curl up on the couch, under a blanket on a cold, rainy day, and read a very good book. The feel of turning the pages, the smell of the paper, the sound of the pages rubbing against each other ... it just wouldn't be the same on some hand-held electronic device. And if you want a good read that has some different ideas about Gutenberg and his press, pick up a copy of Endymion Spring and give it a good read. My kids have enjoyed this book.
The word for today is book: das Buch.
The question for the day is "How long ago were people in Germany?"
Auf Wiedersehen,
Frau Spitzer
