Heinrich Eggestein
Encyclopedia
Heinrich Eggestein is considered, along with Johannes Mentelin
, to be the earliest book printer
in Strasbourg
and therefore one of the earliest anywhere in Europe outside Mainz
.
at a university which is still unknown. Already shortly after his arrival, he entered the service of Bishop
Ruprecht von Pfalz-Simmern and held the office of Siegelbewahrer (keeper of the seal, also called Insiegler or Siegelträger) at the Strasbourg provost
court, which he lost again in 1455. In 1461, this office was again given to him and three years later, he finally lost it.
He got the rights of a Strasbourg citizen in 1442. It is assumed that Eggestein became personally acquainted with Johannes Gutenberg, the later inventor of printing books with movable type, during his stay in Strasbourg in the 1440s and that he was able to form a lasting bond with him.
It is highly likely that Eggestein even travelled to Mainz
himself in the 1450s to learn the art of book printing from Gutenberg. When this was and how long the stay lasted cannot be definitely resolved, due to sketchy source materials. Ferdinand Geldner holds the view that Eggestein was already in Mainz in 1454 and that might be why he lost the office of Siegelbewahrer in Strasbourg in 1455. If this were the case, then he could have watched the printing of the 42-line-per-page Gutenberg Bible
firsthand. Geldner further suspects that Heinrich Eggestein actively participated in the typesetting and printing of the Türkenkalender, which was completed in the middle of December in 1454. He did not give up his Strasbourg citizen's rights until August of 1457, however. If he had left Alsace so late, he would have admittedly arrived in Mainz after the break between Gutenberg and Johann Fust
.
Heinrich Eggestein's return to Strasbourg is certainly verified, as he again got the rights of citizenship on August 9, 1459. However, it is not known whether and in what way Eggestein might have participated in the printing shop operated by Johannes Metelin in Strasbourg. It is indisputable, however, that the two men knew each other and had a close relationship. It is even thought to be possible that Mentelin and Eggestein swore to keep their knowledge of the art of book printing a secret, through an agreement which has unfortunately not been preserved.
The decision to found his own printery may have been made in the time around 1464, when Eggestein lost his office of Siegelbewahrer for the second time, possibly in connection with the setting up of the Offizin (an old German term for a book printery). On March 31, 1466, the printer received a Schutzbrief of the Elector
Frederick I of the Palatinate
, giving him special protection, somewhat like a patent. His first larger work is considered to be a Latin
Bible
, which must have been produced before May 24, 1466.
Although his printery was quickly able to establish itself in the market, Heinrich Eggestein got into financial difficulties towards the end of the 1470s. He was indebted to the Basel
paper merchant, Anton Galliciani, and was successfully sued by him in 1480 for the immediate payment of all outstanding debts. On April 24, 1483, Eggestein finally gave up his rights as a citizen of Strasbourg. The last printed works which were made by him or with his type were popular print
s. He was no longer mentioned after 1488. The date and circumstances of his death are unknown.
At the beginning of the 1470s, he began to expand his printing and publishing range. Besides theological
works, Eggestein now increasingly printed legal works of canon
and civil law
, such as the Decretum Gratiani (1471), as well as the Decretales of Gregory IX and the Constitutiones of Pope Clement V
. That put him in direct competition with Peter Schöffer
, who also issued legal titles in on a large scale. Furthermore, Heinrich Eggestein printed antique classics (e.g., Virgil
's Bucolica, Cicero
's De officiis or Julius Caesar
's De bello gallico), but directed his special interest to Latin works of Medieval authors. Thus he published the Legenda aurea of Jacobus de Voragine
, De miseria conditionis humanae by Pope Innocent III
, as well as works by Bonaventura and Bernhard von Clairvaux, among others. German language titles were quite rare in his range. An important exception to that is the second German Bible, based on the Mentelin Bible, which Eggestein published in 1470. Further vernacular titles were Lucius Apuleius' The Golden Ass
(Translator: Niklas von Wyle) and an edition of Belial.
Johannes Mentelin
Johannes Mentelin, sometimes also spelled Mentlin, was a pioneering German book printer and bookseller of the incunabulum time...
, to be the earliest book printer
Printer (publisher)
In publishing, printers are both companies providing printing services and individuals who directly operate printing presses. With the invention of the moveable type printing press by Johannes Gutenberg around 1450, printing—and printers—proliferated throughout Europe.Today, printers are found...
in Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
and therefore one of the earliest anywhere in Europe outside Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
.
Life
Before he came to Strasbourg in the beginning of the 1440s, Heinrich Eggestein had already acquired the academic degree of a Magister artium liberaliumMaster of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
at a university which is still unknown. Already shortly after his arrival, he entered the service of Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
Ruprecht von Pfalz-Simmern and held the office of Siegelbewahrer (keeper of the seal, also called Insiegler or Siegelträger) at the Strasbourg provost
Provost (religion)
A provost is a senior official in a number of Christian churches.-Historical Development:The word praepositus was originally applied to any ecclesiastical ruler or dignitary...
court, which he lost again in 1455. In 1461, this office was again given to him and three years later, he finally lost it.
He got the rights of a Strasbourg citizen in 1442. It is assumed that Eggestein became personally acquainted with Johannes Gutenberg, the later inventor of printing books with movable type, during his stay in Strasbourg in the 1440s and that he was able to form a lasting bond with him.
It is highly likely that Eggestein even travelled to Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
himself in the 1450s to learn the art of book printing from Gutenberg. When this was and how long the stay lasted cannot be definitely resolved, due to sketchy source materials. Ferdinand Geldner holds the view that Eggestein was already in Mainz in 1454 and that might be why he lost the office of Siegelbewahrer in Strasbourg in 1455. If this were the case, then he could have watched the printing of the 42-line-per-page Gutenberg Bible
Gutenberg Bible
The Gutenberg Bible was the first major book printed with a movable type printing press, and marked the start of the "Gutenberg Revolution" and the age of the printed book. Widely praised for its high aesthetic and artistic qualities, the book has an iconic status...
firsthand. Geldner further suspects that Heinrich Eggestein actively participated in the typesetting and printing of the Türkenkalender, which was completed in the middle of December in 1454. He did not give up his Strasbourg citizen's rights until August of 1457, however. If he had left Alsace so late, he would have admittedly arrived in Mainz after the break between Gutenberg and Johann Fust
Johann Fust
Johann Fust was an early German printer.- Family background :Fust belonged to a rich and respectable burgher family of Mainz, traceable back to the early thirteenth-century; members of the family held many civil and religious offices.The name was always written Fust, but in 1506 Peter Schöffer, in...
.
Heinrich Eggestein's return to Strasbourg is certainly verified, as he again got the rights of citizenship on August 9, 1459. However, it is not known whether and in what way Eggestein might have participated in the printing shop operated by Johannes Metelin in Strasbourg. It is indisputable, however, that the two men knew each other and had a close relationship. It is even thought to be possible that Mentelin and Eggestein swore to keep their knowledge of the art of book printing a secret, through an agreement which has unfortunately not been preserved.
The decision to found his own printery may have been made in the time around 1464, when Eggestein lost his office of Siegelbewahrer for the second time, possibly in connection with the setting up of the Offizin (an old German term for a book printery). On March 31, 1466, the printer received a Schutzbrief of the Elector
Prince-elector
The Prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Roman king or, from the middle of the 16th century onwards, directly the Holy Roman Emperor.The heir-apparent to a prince-elector was known as an...
Frederick I of the Palatinate
Frederick I, Elector Palatine
Frederick I, the Victorious was a Count Palatine of the Rhine and Elector Palatine from the House of Wittelsbach in 1451 - 1476....
, giving him special protection, somewhat like a patent. His first larger work is considered to be a Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, which must have been produced before May 24, 1466.
Although his printery was quickly able to establish itself in the market, Heinrich Eggestein got into financial difficulties towards the end of the 1470s. He was indebted to the Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
paper merchant, Anton Galliciani, and was successfully sued by him in 1480 for the immediate payment of all outstanding debts. On April 24, 1483, Eggestein finally gave up his rights as a citizen of Strasbourg. The last printed works which were made by him or with his type were popular print
Popular print
Popular Prints is a term for printed images of generally low artistic quality which were sold cheaply in Europe and later the New World from the 15th to 18th centuries, often with text as well as images. They were the first mass-media...
s. He was no longer mentioned after 1488. The date and circumstances of his death are unknown.
Work
Heinrich Eggestein's activities as a book printer can be established from 1464 until 1488. During these 25 years, he published a wealth of printed works with varied content. After his first work, the Bible of 1466 which has already been mentioned, he printed two further Latin folio editions of the Holy Scriptures. In this connection, the Strasbourg printer also used modern marketing methods. Eggestein's book advertisement of 1468/70, which promoted his third edition of the Bible, is considered to be the oldest pamphlet of this kind, along with the advertisements of Mentelin and Schöffer.At the beginning of the 1470s, he began to expand his printing and publishing range. Besides theological
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
works, Eggestein now increasingly printed legal works of canon
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
and civil law
Civil law (legal system)
Civil law is a legal system inspired by Roman law and whose primary feature is that laws are codified into collections, as compared to common law systems that gives great precedential weight to common law on the principle that it is unfair to treat similar facts differently on different...
, such as the Decretum Gratiani (1471), as well as the Decretales of Gregory IX and the Constitutiones of Pope Clement V
Pope Clement V
Pope Clement V, born Raymond Bertrand de Got was Pope from 1305 to his death...
. That put him in direct competition with Peter Schöffer
Peter Schöffer
Peter Schöffer or Petrus Schoeffer was an early German printer, who studied in Paris and worked as a manuscript copyist in 1451 before apprenticing with Johannes Gutenberg and joining Johann Fust, a goldsmith, lawyer, and money lender.-Life and works:Working for Fust, Schöffer was the principal...
, who also issued legal titles in on a large scale. Furthermore, Heinrich Eggestein printed antique classics (e.g., Virgil
Virgil
Publius Vergilius Maro, usually called Virgil or Vergil in English , was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He is known for three major works of Latin literature, the Eclogues , the Georgics, and the epic Aeneid...
's Bucolica, Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
's De officiis or Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
's De bello gallico), but directed his special interest to Latin works of Medieval authors. Thus he published the Legenda aurea of Jacobus de Voragine
Jacobus de Voragine
Blessed Jacobus de Varagine or Voragine was an Italian chronicler and archbishop of Genoa. He was the author, or more accurately the compiler, of Legenda Aurea, the Golden Legend, a collection of the legendary lives of the greater saints of the medieval church that was one of the most popular...
, De miseria conditionis humanae by Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III was Pope from 8 January 1198 until his death. His birth name was Lotario dei Conti di Segni, sometimes anglicised to Lothar of Segni....
, as well as works by Bonaventura and Bernhard von Clairvaux, among others. German language titles were quite rare in his range. An important exception to that is the second German Bible, based on the Mentelin Bible, which Eggestein published in 1470. Further vernacular titles were Lucius Apuleius' The Golden Ass
The Golden Ass
The Metamorphoses of Apuleius, which St. Augustine referred to as The Golden Ass , is the only Latin novel to survive in its entirety....
(Translator: Niklas von Wyle) and an edition of Belial.
Literature
In German- P. Amelung: Heinrich Eggestein. In. Lexikon des gesamten Buchwesens (LGB). Publ. by Severin Corsten. 2nd new, completely revised and expanded edition. Vol. II. Hiersemann, Stuttgart 1989. p. 420-421. ISBN 3-7772-8911-6
- F. Geldner: Die deutschen Inkunabeldrucker. Ein Handbuch der deutschen Buchdrucker des XV. Jahrhunderts nach Druckorten. Teil 1. Das deutsche Sprachgebiet. Hiersemann, Stuttgart 1968. ISBN 3-7772-6825-9
- F. Geldner: Inkunabelkunde. Eine Einführung in die Welt des frühesten Buchdrucks. Reichert, Wiesbaden 1978. ISBN 3-920153-60-X
- E. Voulliéme: Die deutschen Drucker des fünfzehnten Jahrhunderts. Verlag der Reichdruckerei, Berlin 1922