종교개혁기의 비텐베르크 - 인쇄문화를 중심으로

Abstract

In the 50 years since Johannes Gutenberg created the first Vulgata using his novel technology in 1454, the volume of books made with the printing press exceeded what mankind had produced over the previous 1,000 years. By the 16th century, however, publishers faced an unanticipated situation – challenges associated with the new sales structure compared to that of the manuscript market. Books printed with what had been projected demand often ended up without a willing buyer, and the growing inventory started making the industry less and less attractive. What to print became an increasingly compelling question. It was against such a backdrop that Luther’s Protestant Reformation gained traction. In the midst of the intense debate between Luther and all that he was against, the public started to crave for what Luther stood for. His writings served as the content that revived Wittenberg’s publishing industry. Before Luther’s seminal Nintey-five Theses of 1517, there had been only five publishing houses in Wittenberg who had managed to manufacture a modest number of around 120 books. Then there was the neighboring town of Leipzig known as the publishing stronghold of the Holy Roman Empire, which meant that most books Wittenberg required were being imported. Wittenberg’s publishing industry finds itself completely changed in the wake of the Protestant Reformation. The consecutive successes of Luther’s books and George the Duke of Saxony (who governed Leipzig)’s opponent to the Reformation propelled Wittenberg to become the go-to town for publishing. Over the century, around 7,900 Luther related publications were created; and Luther becomes something of a brand in the industry. A city generally develops through the intricate workings between various factors that include society, economy, and politics; but Wittenberg during the Reformation shows a unique form of growth driven by something else – and that was the development of the publishing industry due to Luther and his Reformation.