Die gefährlichste Erfindung der Welt
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Product Information "Die gefährlichste Erfindung der Welt"
How does an invention change society? The development of printing with movable type can be seen as a technological masterpiece of the 15th century. Yet its true significance lies in the far-reaching consequences of Johannes Gutenberg’s invention, which continue to shape our world today.
Printing with movable, reusable type in high precision, speed, and volume transformed power structures, challenged established authorities, accelerated social change, created new forms of public discourse, and made education more accessible. Like the digital revolution, the invention of printing was a disruptive development with ambivalent consequences. Who controls information? Who is responsible for its dissemination? And how do we distinguish between knowledge and opinion, truth and deception?
On the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the Gutenberg Museum Mainz, this book offers a behind-the-scenes look: How was the collection established, and how is it being preserved for the future? What can the objects tell us about the past, and what questions do they raise about the way we engage with media today?
The book explores how an invention is repeatedly reinterpreted and reassessed in the light of contemporary political and social developments. At the same time, it traces the evolution of a collection and examines the changing role of curatorial practice. The museum is understood not merely as a place of collecting and preservation, but as a network in which past and present enter into dialogue. Analogue and digital approaches complement each other in education and outreach, opening up new ways of inviting people to actively engage with cultural heritage and media history.
With his expressive illustrations and distinctive image treatments, Jörn Kaspuhl gives the book a unique visual character. Katrin Schacke creates a striking typographic concept that offers a contemporary interpretation of the magnificent initials found in the Gutenberg Bibles.
The book is published to mark the 125th anniversary of the Gutenberg Museum Mainz.
Bibliography
Die gefährlichste Erfindung der Welt. Curated by the Gutenberg Museum Mainz. 160 pages. Mainz 2026. German edition
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Youthful, ambitious Peter Schoeffer is on the verge of professional success as a scribe in Paris when his foster father, wealthy merchant and bookseller Johann Fust, summons him home to corrupt, feud-plagued Mainz to meet “a most amazing man.” Johann Gutenberg, a driven and caustic inventor, has devised a revolutionary—and to some, blasphemous—method of bookmaking: a machine he calls a printing press. Fust is financing Gutenberg’s workshop and he orders Peter to become Gutenberg’s apprentice. Resentful at having to abandon a prestigious career as a scribe, Peter begins his education in the “darkest art.”As his skill grows, so too does his admiration for Gutenberg and his dedication to their daring venture: copies of the Holy Bible. But mechanical difficulties and the crushing power of the Catholic Church threaten their work. As outside forces align against them, Peter finds himself torn between the genius and the merchant, the old ways and the new. He and the men he admires must work together to prevail against overwhelming obstacles—a battle that will change history . . . and irrevocably transform them.Alix Christie: Gutenberg's Apprentice. A novel. Paperback, 432 pages. Harper Perennial 2015. English edition
The orphan Martin comes to Johannes Gutenberg’s workshop as an apprentice to work under top-secret conditions on the invention of the book printing process. But soon things are stolen from the workshop which pose great danger to the business. When Martin becomes a suspect of this theft himself, he decides to try to find the real thieves. Can the neighbour’s daughter Klara help him? Or is she working with the thieves?This thrilling story about Martin and Klara leads the reader directly into Gutenberg’s 15th century workshop where the printing press invention was made that changed the world. Regine Koelpin and Gitta Edelmann. Johannes Gutenberg und die verschwundenen Lettern. A historic Children’s Mystery. Paperback, 240 pages. Illustrated by Juno Sommer. Gutenberg Foundation 2019. German edition
At last there is a scientifically accurate, available Gutenberg biography in EnglishStephan Füssel, one of Europe's leading Gutenberg experts, describes Gutenberg's life from his childhood in Mainz to his final years, as well as the history of his impact, in a skilful and detailed manner. This short biography contains everything you need to know about the man who changed the printed word - and the world - forever. Stephan Füssel: Gutenberg. Translated by Peter Lewis. Paperback, 189 pages, Haus Publishing 2019. English edition.
Stephan Füssel: Gutenberg und seine Wirkung. Gebunden, 216 Seiten, Insel Verlag (2. Aufl.) 2004. Deutsche Ausgabe.
A biography of the inventor to mark the 550th anniversary of his death Few inventions have changed our lives as dramatically as the invention of printing with moveable type. With his first printing press Johannes Gutenberg heralded a new dawn, making mass communication, information and education possible for all. The genius behind the idea has been deeply obscured by the passage of time, however. Only a few details about his life are known. And yet it is possible to rediscover Johannes Gutenberg 550 years after his death. Maren Gottschalk has gone is search of the Man of the Millennium – and of his invention. Maren Gottschalk: Johannes Gutenberg. Mann des Jahrtausends. Hardback, 160 pages, Böhlau Verlag, 2018. German edition.
The SWR film is regularly screened in the lecture hall of the Gutenberg Museum. It presents the inventor and his achievements in a concise and entertaining way. It was filmed with the professional support of the Gutenberg Museum, also in the museum, that took many of its unique treasures from the showcases for this purpose. Gutenberg - Leben und Werk. SWR 2013. 15 min. International versions included: German, French, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese
Gutenberg made easy offers on 52 pages all aspects of Gutenbergs inventions and the age of the late Middle Ages he lived in.The guide is suitable for kids from 9 years and older. At the end of each chapter the young readers can improve their knowlwedge in funny quizzes. A detailed glossary explains all the unknown terms. Available in German, English, French, Spanish, Korean and Chinese. Paperback, 52 pages, Gutenberg-Museum.
Noch immer das Beste, was wir haben! Dieser ausführliche Katalog wurde anlässlich der historischen Ausstellung zu Gutenbergs 600. Geburtstag im Jahr 2000 im Mainzer Gutenberg-Museum von der Stadt Mainz herausgegeben. Er beleuchtet sehr facettenreich die Erfindung Gutenbergs und ihre Entstehungszeit. Vor dem Panorama seiner Lebensverhältnisse und der Zeitumstände wird ein differenziertes und präzises Bild vom Erfinder und seiner Leistung vermittelt.Gutenberg. aventur & kunst. Vom Geheimunternehmen zur ersten Medienrevolution. Broschiert, 716 Seiten, Stadt Mainz 2000.
Erwin Kreim: Johannes Gutenberg. Unternehmer des zweiten Jahrtausends. Hardcover, 128 pages, Nünnerich-Asmus Verlag 2022. German edition
The Gutenberg charity shop has proved an invaluable aid to museum funding for over 20 years. Each article sold includes a donation which we pass on to the Gutenberg Museum. The shop is chiefly run by volunteers which helps us to keep costs down. You may also make a donation without buying anything.
Anyone who believes that there are no more unanswered questions about the person and work of Johannes Gutenberg, that everything has long been known and researched, is probably making a widespread mistake. Since 2018 at the latest, however, people in Mainz should know better: 50 years after the assumed year of death of the patron saint of the university, which was re-founded in 1946, the Department of History organised an interdisciplinary symposium on the "Man of the Millennium" together with the Institute for Historical Regional Studies. Together, they had set themselves the goal of clearing up persistent clichés, scrutinising weak or unsubstantiated statements, putting hypotheses to the test, examining the reliability of much-quoted documents, tracing the reception of the person and his work over the course of time and incorporating all the new sources and insights gained since the major anniversary in 2000. Published by Michael Matheus, Heidrun Ochs und Kai-Michael Sprenger. Hardcover, 378 pages, Franz Steiner Verlag 2021. German Edition
The Museum Guide to the Gutenberg Museum in Mainz gives detailed informations on many items that can be seen upon a visit to our world-famous museum in Mainz. The museum is dedicated to the fine art of printing and its master Johannes Gutenberg.Available in German, English, French, Italian and Spanish. Das Gutenberg-Museum Mainz. Ein Führer durch das Druck- und Schriften-Museum. Paperback, 72 pages, Gutenberg-Museum 2019.
Von Gutenberg zum World Wide Web. Aspekte der Wirkungsgeschichte von Gutenbergs Erfindung - zur Neukonzeption des Mainzer Gutenberg-Museums. Hrsg. von Stephan Füssel. Softcover, 113 pages, Harrassowitz 2022. German edition
Graphic Novel about Johannes Gutenberg's time in Straßburg 1438, illustrated by Roger Seiter. Vincent Wagner and Roger Seiter: Gutenberg et le secret de la Sibylle. Hardback, 72 pages, Éditions du Signe 2018. French edition.