Johannes Gutenberg Glance - World of Biography

It was an era of political and social upheaval, times when the common man, the tradesman, the craftsman were struggling to overcome the strictures passed by the leaders of the church and monarchy, when equality was being talked about in more than hushed whispers, when knowledge and education were sought and respected, when all were trying to break through the shackles of tradition. It was the beginning of the 15th century - the dawn of the modern era.

In Mainz, a small town in Germany was born Johannes Gutenberg. A partisan (member of a revolutionary group) by birth and a craftsman by talent, Gutenberg studied well the art of the goldsmiths. The processes used in the casting of metals intrigued him. Gutenberg took up metal crafting as a profession against the traditions of his family. Political upheavals made him quit his native town and move to Strasbourg. It was at Strasbourg that Gutenberg appears to have been inspired by the idea of a movable type printing machine. Gutenberg put his mind, money and effort to turn his vision into reality. He had to borrow money to meet the needs of his enterprise. He found friends and acquaintances whose imagination was set afire by his vision and who then invested their funds in his enterprise.

Gutenberg’s need for more funds than he could afford still appears to have bogged down his efforts. After suffering a setback in Strasbourg when one of his associates died and Gutenberg had to face a court case initiated by the heirs of the deceased associate, Gutenberg seems to have slowed down the pace of his work for a while.

But within a couple of years, he returned to Mainz where he was again able to raise funds for his enterprise and appears to have set about it in all earnestness. Johann Fust was one of the persons who lent him a considerable sum to finance his project. Gutenberg picked up the Bible as the first book to print on his new invention. He put his heart into the enterprise. Not only was he seeking printing perfection, but he wanted his maiden work to be aesthetically appealing and in no way less than the handmade manuscripts then in vogue.

A legal case was brought against Gutenberg by Johann Fust for recovery of amounts lent by him. The court going by the written evidence awarded Fust the printing rights of The Bible. This was a double tragedy for Gutenberg, as not only, was this his masterpiece, so lovingly prepared by him, to be handed over, but greater still, the first book ever to be printed would not be officially acknowledged to having been printed by him.

Though he did publish a few works like ‘The Catholican’ and ‘The Donatus’ with the help of funds raised from other friends, ‘The Bible’ remained his most treasured book. Gutenberg might have been denied much of the fame he deserved during his lifetime, but he was not entirely deprived of it. ‘The Bible’ published by Fust is still known as Gutenberg's Bible and for the sake of posterity, he has been hailed as the inventor of the printing press.

His hometown Mainz has a museum in his honor, and in 2000, it celebrated his 600th birth anniversary with great splendor. Many a national museum is the proud possessor of Gutenberg’s Bible. Gutenberg has been instrumental in improving the life of human beings. For anyone who enjoys or revers books, cannot but thank God for the genius of Johannes Gutenberg.