Johannes Gutenberg: Biography

A Little About Me...

Early Life

Johannes Gutenberg was born in Mainz, Germany around 1398, although the year is not known. Gutenberg was the youngest son to Friele Gensfleisch zur Laden and Else Wyrich. The majority of Gutenberg ’ s childhood and youth is a mystery to historians, but it is known that he grew up around the trade of gold smithing.

It is believed that the Gutenbergs moved to Eltville am Rhein, or Alta Villa, in 1411 when there was an uprising in Mainz. It is believed that for political reasons Gutenberg then moved to Strasbourg, later enrolling in University of Erfurt in 1418.

Midlife and the Printing Press

After his enrollment in school, Gutenberg ’ s life is a mystery for the next fifteen years. It is known that in 1434 he was in Strasbourg where he had relatives from his mother ’ s side. His father died in 1419 and young Gutenberg was noted in the inheritance. In 1436-1437 Gutenberg ’ s name came up in court in relation to a Òbroken marriageÓ, although it is unknown whether the marriage actually took place.

Gutenberg remained in Strasbourg through 1440 when it is said that he finished and released his printing press (he called it the Kunst und Aventur) to the general public. By the year 1450, Gutenberg ’ s printing press was in full operation in Germany. The first item to be printed on the press is thought to be a German poem. Soon after, Gutenberg borrowed 800 guilders from the well-known moneylender Johann Fust, and in 1452 again borrowed 800 guilders for his latest project: the Bible. The printing of the Bible took place in a property belonging to a distant relative of Gutenberg ’ s in Hof Humbrecht. By 1455 Gutenberg had produced around 180 copies of his 42-line Bible. Additionally, there was speculation that Gutenberg in fact had two printing presses at the time. One for religious texts and one for more everyday literary works.

Late Life & Death

In 1459 things took a turn for the worse for Gutenberg. Fust went to court declaring his funds had been misused and that he wanted all of his money back (which now has accumulated to over 20,000 guilders). The court favored Fust in the dispute, awarding him half of the printed Bibles and control over the Bible print shop. Gutenberg was left with nothing, but later managed to open up a small print shop. There is also debate on whether or not Gutenberg printed the 300 copies of the Catholicon dictionary.

During the year of 1462, archbishop Adolf von Nassau forced Gutenberg into exile. He died in 1468 and was buried in a Franciscan church at Mainz. However, the cemetery was later destroyed and Gutenberg ’ s grave was forever lost.