14 Facts About Gutenberg

1.

Johannes Gensfleisch zur Laden zum Gutenberg was a German inventor, printer, publisher, and goldsmith who introduced printing to Europe with his mechanical movable-type printing press.

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2.

Gutenberg's work started the Printing Revolution in Europe and is regarded as a milestone of the second millennium, ushering in the modern period of human history.

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3.

Gutenberg's printing technology spread rapidly throughout Europe and later the world.

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4.

Gutenberg was born in the German city of Mainz, Rhine-Main area, the youngest son of the wealthy patrician merchant Friele Gensfleisch zur Laden, and his second wife, Else Wyrich, who was the daughter of a shopkeeper.

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5.

Gutenberg appears to have been a goldsmith member enrolled in the Strasbourg militia.

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6.

Around 1439, Gutenberg was involved in a financial misadventure making polished metal mirrors for sale to pilgrims to Aachen: in 1439 the city was planning to exhibit its collection of relics from Emperor Charlemagne but the event was delayed by one year due to a severe flood and the capital already spent could not be repaid.

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7.

Until at least 1444 Gutenberg lived in Strasbourg, most likely in the St Arbogast parish.

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8.

Gutenberg was able to convince the wealthy moneylender Johann Fust for a loan of 800 guilders.

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9.

Gutenberg's workshop was set up at Humbrechthof, a property belonging to a distant relative.

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10.

Gutenberg died in 1468 and was buried likely as a tertiary in the Franciscan church at Mainz.

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11.

Between 1450 and 1455, Gutenberg printed several texts, some of which remain unidentified; his texts did not bear the printer's name or date, so attribution is possible only from typographical evidence and external references.

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12.

In 1455, Gutenberg completed copies of a beautifully executed folio Bible, with 42 lines on each page.

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13.

Gutenberg's early printing process, and what texts he printed with movable type, are not known in great detail.

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14.

Whether Gutenberg used this sophisticated technique or a somewhat primitive version has been the subject of considerable debate.

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