Gutenberg Press

History is defined and shaped by events, geography, conflicts, discovery and invention.  The ultimate expression is defined by people, individuals who leave an indelible mark of the tapestry of time. In that regard, perhaps the greatest single invention to revolutionize a time period was brought about by Johannes Gutenberg. In 1999, the A & E Network ranked Gutenberg # 1 on their "People of the Millennium" countdown, and in 1997, Time-Life magazine picked Gutenberg's invention as the most important of the second millenium.


Mainz, the birthplace of Gutenberg( 1498) is also a city with deep ties to the past.  Eleven museums beckon the historically astute traveler.  The city itself has an ancient heritage, claiming to be the first Roman encampment in 38 BC and later established by Drusus in 13 BC as the capital of Upper Germany.  Here was constructed the largest theater north of the Alps around 300 AD.  At about 400 AD Roman rule came to an end.  Archbishops then dominated the scene.  Their influence was profound in the architecture, the arts, and during the crusades, on the unfortunate Jewish community in their midst.   On our visit the Cathedral of Mainz was celebrating 1000 years in 2009. The late gothic cloister is an imposing structure towering over the bustling Christmas market.

The majority of our day was spent in the Gutenberg Museum, the home of an array of displays covering over a 1000 years of printing history.  Several floors of this expansive collection include artifacts, books, printing processes and machines of not only German, but most European countries, China Japan and the works from the Muslim world.  It would take days to study it all, although it is laid out for both the scholar and layman alike.  There was sufficient reading material in English to make sense of what we were looking at, but the scope of the exhibit allowed for a contribution to the knowledge at whatever level one was approaching it.

  Although Gutenberg never achieved much recognition during his life, he left behind an immeasurable contribution to the cultural, scientific, literary and religious climate of the renaisssance period and beyond.  Johannes Gutenberg said the idea of of incorporating a removable type came to him "as a ray of light".  The idea itself, clearly generated time and cost savings from the previous script form or reproduction.  It would take time before the true significance of this invention would begin to realize its immense benefits.  It began slowly with works of poetry and then the landmark printing of what is referred to as the Gutenberg Bible.  It alone can be described as a critical element in the reformation which was to change the face of Europe.  To quote another site:
Gutenberg's contribution to printing was the development of a punch and mold system which allowed the mass production of the movable type used to reproduce a page of text. These letters would be put together in a type tray which was then used to print a page of text. If a letter broke down, it could be replaced.  When the printing of the copies of one page was finished, the type could be reused for the next page or the next book.

It was Frankfurt that was an early center for printing and so it sponsored a book fair which drew publishers, booksellers, collectors and scholars where they could find what they needed for their livelihoods. This helped coordinate supply and demand which in turn spurned the literary movement and perhaps defined the essence of the meaning of "renaissance."
Housed in what was referred to as a "strong room" were two copies of the Gutenberg Bible.  These are the prizes of the collection and for good reason.  We owe much to Martin Luther and Gutenburg for making accessible to all knowledge and consequently some of the freedoms we enjoy today.
Although this blog entry offers little in terms of  visual appeal,  I hope it at leaves the impression that this form of cultural pursuit is also worthy of your time.

Wartburg - a Composite

I had envisioned travelling to places where I could capture a particular period or epoch in time and be transported back to taste  the flavor of life as they lived it so long ago.  If they would but provide the setting, I would allow my rather vivid imagination to do the rest.  I was to learn another lesson on this trip.  Time does not stand still.  As Robert Baird wrote: " time flies on wings of lightning, we cannot call it back ."  It is rare to find any structure that fully represents what it once was, at any given moment in time.   The same is true in terms of architecture; each new occupant leaves their own imprint even when that imprint is an attempt to recapture the essence of the previous generation.  Their own interpretation is colored by influences of their generation.  


This is the case with the Wartburg Castle.  It is an amalgam of multiple periods, each shaped to a degree by the contributions of its occupants, designers, or the influence of legendary figures who visited Wartburg or made it their home.  It is described as Germany's most favored castle and judging by the number of visitors on this late November day, I can say that there were more  visitors than at others we have visited of late.  I am going to let some of the links tell the story. They do it very well.


This was our first trip to the former East Germany.  Although things have changed dramatically,  Alfie shared some interesting tidbits about every place we passed.   East Germany experienced a significant exodus during the years of occupation.  Now Germans are slowly moving back as property is still to be had there, a little cheaper.  Much of Germany's infrastructure capital has been directed to rebuilding  the East.  This has represented a significant financial burden on the economy.  However, German ingenuity, determination and pride are clearly evident in the arts, the orderly reconstruction and the devoted attention they pay to their cultural and linguistic heritage.  There is much to be admired here in this beautiful country. 

Four things that standout about our visit to Wartburg.  The fascinating story of St  Elizabeth. Martin Luther translated the New Testament from Greek to German at Wartburg, thus creating the foundation of the Protestant faith and the reformation and at the same time, standardizing the German language.   German students met here paving the way for German unity.  In early centuries, it became the gathering place, along with the town of Eisenach, for poets, playwrights,  artists and musicians.  It's rich cultural heritage was maintained throughout the centuries.  Architecturally, the castle underwent almost constant renovation while maintaining vestiges of each era, quite an accomplishment.  Although this might be best represented as a cultural collage, it has somehow tied them together into a powerful visually engaging way to depict an old castle.

I would like to spend some of my space relating a little about our guide.  The lady in this picture is named Alfie. She lives in our high rise in Frankfurt. She was born and raised near Wartburg in a town called Gotha, in former East Germany.  She provided a running dialogue of places, history and personal experiences that made for a memorable and most enjoyable day.  Her wry sense of humor, quick wit and German candor kept us amused the whole time.  She adopted me as 'her son' and kept referring to me as 'the psychiatrist who would probably her lock up before the day was over'.  She took us to her home town about 30 kilometres from Wartburg and described her experiences during the war as a girl and the subsequent Russian occupation.  She was honored by her home town a few years back.  We were not able to gather from her the full extent for which the town claims her as their own, but the impression is that she was a gifted opera singer or pianist and has performed and traveled extensively, consequently her English is very good.  We will find out more as we plan to engage her in some of our outings.

Felsenmeer [the sea of rocks]

We went off the beaten track to find this place.  What you see is referred to as a felsenmeer.  We use this word in English (although it comes from German) to refer to an outcropping of rocks often found near the tree line on a gentle slope.  These have been polished by glaciation and weathering and were broken up by constant freezing and thawing of water seeping into the rock face.  We actually came to this place to see an ancient quarry used by the Romans since about 200 AD.  Scattering amongst this rock debris are signs of stone mason's handiwork strewn over the hillside.  To see the whole site required a rigorous hike.  I was up for the it.  I continued on in search of other signs of stonework deemed not suitable for transport off the site.  I found this one near to the top of the ridge.  After looking at this I decided I wouldn't want to haul it down either.  This one was made in the 4th century. It is 30.8 feet long and weighs 27.5 tons.  This was miles from anywhere and now so was I.  I began to feel guilty as Arendje was waiting for me two or three kilometers below.  The stone masons must have known what they were looking for, as what I thought  were excellent pieces of granite were abandoned, obviously flawed in some way.  

At the Information Centre at Felsenmeer, we spoke with the patrons and they told us some places to see nearby.  The highlight was a place called Heppenheim to see the old Rathaus.  This is the heart of wine country.  The square was empty when we arrived, unusual for a Saturday afternoon.  Of course it is November and the tourists are long gone.  I was able to take this unobstructed picture, which is a rare shot.  This beautiful medieval city was enchanting with its 17th and 18th century wood frame houses.  Some were quite a bit older.  We went to visit a 19th century Catholic church which had an excellent collection of stain glassed windows.  I think the Catholic Church should give us an honorary membership as we are devoted attendees in every community we visit.  We did not stay very long here however, as we had a couple of other places to see and by this time we had both worked up quite an appetite.

       This warranted a picture.  It was outdoor train set with a collection of old style fire hydrants.  I was not sure what the connection was, but it made for an interesting stop.  The church is right behind me in the background.  If I were to live in Germany, it would be in a town very similar to this.  I must be a romantic at heart.  We both seem to enjoy our Saturday jaunts. Certainly some things are beginning to reflect elements familiar to previous sites, yet it seems to capture enough of the history to give it an enduring appeal.  If you look carefully at the half timbered house, on the lower right it shows a bombed out portion, as was the lot for much of Germany in the last days of the Second World War.

    Auerbach Fortress   was constructed in the 13th century and there is folklore (Gina for you) attached to this site.  It was built to protect the property of the very powerful and rich monastery Lorsch.  This fortress has two walls.  The outer constitutes  a defensive perimeter.  Once past the first, there was still a stronger and bigger inner wall to negotiate.  It was impressive as well, in that it occupied the summit of the largest hill in the region.  The view was a full 360 degrees especially from the vantage point of the uppermost guard tower which we both climbed.    You can see it in this picture.                                                                                     

This last picture of a pine tree growing right in the walkway of highest part of the fortress.  On 18 October 1356, a huge earthquake shook the Rhine Rift. The donjon (central tower) collapsed, and crashed onto the eastern and southeastern buildings. In they years thereafter,  a period of rebuilding and expansion took place.  In place of the east-tower a bastion, an approximately four meters thick quarter-circle shaped wall construction was built. The bastion, the first facility of its kind in Germany, was to protect the castle from stone cannons from the northeast. Probably the north- and south-tower were also raised. We climbed the north tower, right behind where this picture was taken. In the eastern corner of the inner courtyard of the castle the former well is recognizable, which was hewn 62 meters deep in the rock

Wiesbaden: meadow bath

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Geothermal activity is at the heart of why this city was developed at the time of the Romans.  The early discovery of  hot springs, is the heart of what is today the city of Wiesbaden [which translates into 'meadow bath'].  The Kockbrunnen (hot fountain) was first mentioned in 1366.  From the vantage point of this photo, we could see steam eminating from four different sources.  The temperature of the most famous sodium-chloride thermal spring is 66 degrees centigrade and gushes 346 litres of mineral water per minute.  It was a cold, damp day when we took this picture and the thought of sitting in a hot pool about that time was very appealing.

I have been scanning the internet for places to find world famous artisans of cuckoo clocks.  This one we almost walked by without noticing.  It is a store front and billed as the largest cuckoo clock in the world... a little more than what I need.  Inside the store were a significant collection of finely crafted cuckoo clocks.  They were not cheap, many of them in the range of 300 to 1000 Euros.
This clock was mounted in 1946 and made for a most engaging eye catcher for local shoppers.

The Black Forest is the source of the world's most famous craftsmen in this most fascinating form of art.  Next summer we will take a trip to see some of the factories where they are made and see if our budget can handle a modest clock.  The factories will ship it in a kit form to Canada and thus avoid the 19 percent tax attached to most items.

These are two different vantage points of the same church.  It is called the Lutheran Market Church and was built from 1852-62 as a Gothic Revival Basilica with three naves.  Germany is the home of Marin Luther and his footprint is found throughout Germany.  It is the tallest structure in the city and has a dominating presence.  The statue is of a young William of Orange I.

This church with five golden cupolas was built as a sepulchre for the mortal remains of the wife of Duke Adolf, Grand Duchess Elizabeth Michailovna and her baby.  The Russian Cemetery was laid out in 1856. The famous painter Alexej Jawlensky is buried here next door in the adjoining cemetery.

The attention to detail and the ornate design work in the interior reflect incredible skill and craftsmanship.  The story behind this edifice is a sad one and worth the time to read.  Just follow the link.

I don't think I will tire of seeing the churches here. They have appeal on so many dimensions. To imagine the work and dedication that went into these structures and on the other hand, the sacrifice, speaks to the feelings that generate such devoted attention.  Some clearly are from the well spring of greed and sophistry, while others testify of the spiritual yearnings of earlier times.

Our last stop on this dreary day was to the ruins of a castle called Sonnenburg established around 1200 AD.  A German king resided here in 1292.  Now it is only a shadow of what it once was.  Overcast skies seemed to further add to the stark remains.

Arendje took a number of pictures. I  wondered what she was doing.  She appeared to want to capture the feeling we both felt as we tried to take in the scope of the castle's perimeter.  That was hard to define given development in and around the site.



From a view at the highest point of the ruin next to the keep pictured to the right, we watched a soccer game going on several hundred feet below.  I wonder if scenes like this were repeated through the centuries.

Since the destruction of the castle, houses have been constructed in and against the ruins.  I contemplated on whether the current inhabitants sense the paradox.  They are living in part of a structure that holds so much history behind it.

These pictures of course only represent a small part of what we saw today.  We were both a little cold and wet before we called it a day, but the inclement weather allowed a perspective we might not have acquired otherwise.          

Hanau - Parks and Fairy Tales

Pull out your book of fairy tales.  We are going to take you on a magic journey with the Brothers Grimm.  Our first stop is Hanau, just a short trip from Frankfurt. The old town square of Hanau boasts a monument to the Grimm brothers.  We picked a Saturday morning when the market was bustling with people.  We circled around for about twenty minutes and finally decided we were wasting valuable time, so we plugged into our GPS the Grimm Museum and started off, not realizing it was taking us to another city; we carried on anyway.  The brothers were born in Hanau.  We will have a chance to visit it again.


You have to know a little about the Brothers Grimm to appreciate the flavor they put into their collection of stories.  I have included a little background from other sources:

" Their early childhood was spent in the countryside in what has been described as an "idyllic" state.  When the eldest brother, Jacob, was eleven years old, their father, Philip Wilhelm, died and the family moved into a cramped urban residence.  Two years later, the children's grandfather also died, leaving them and their mother to struggle in reduced circumstances.  It has been argued that this is the reason behind the Brothers' tendency to idealize and excuse fathers, leaving a predominance of female villains in the tales—the infamous wicked stepmothers, for example, the evil stepmother and stepsisters in “Cinderella.”  However, this opinion, ignores the fact that the brothers were collectors of folk tales, not their authors."  

Alsfeld  was our next stop and it has to be the most picturesque town we have seen to-date.  Around every corner  was a street full of timber-frame houses with dates like 1504, 1525.  It was like being back in the sixteenth century.  The Rauthaus  was worth the trip alone.   The pharmacy across the street has operated as such for several centuries.  How is that for a local drug store.   The narrow cobble stone streets, with these two and three story houses still occupied with families carrying on their daily activities, reminds us of how in many ways, time has not changed the routines of life.


On one street, there is a fountain presided over by a goose girl in a costume of the period which was noticed by the Grimm brothers and inspired them as to how to describe Little Red Riding Hood.  As we took our walking tour, I wondered what it would be like to be surrounded by this history.  Houses that have been continuously occupied for hundreds of years.  Most bottom floors now house quaint shops appealing to residents and      tourists alike.

We had to hurry to stay on schedule so we were off to Kassel, a city of 200,000, about two hours from Frankfurt.  This city promised to provide a varied array of architecture, art, folklore and Greek artifacts.  The highlight had to be the Museum of Art.  The huge museum housed what has to be the finest collection of art in Germany.  The city had many museums, one of which was the oldest museum in Europe.  We saw the works of many masters including Rubins and Rembrandt, with the prize of the collection, one of his masterpieces, depicting Israel blessing Ephraim over the birthright son Manasseh.  The first floor was Greek art and artifacts, the second housed the works of Italian masters, the third Dutch artists and finally the fourth, many of the most famous artists, including Rubins and Rembrandt.  After Versailles, it is the best collection in Europe.

We spent two hours on the Park surrounding the museum site.  With the leaves in full colour and 868 acres to explore I was game to go, Arendje not so much, so I hiked up this steep slope to see an old castle called Lowenburg.  It is unique, as you will see by the previous link.  The Landgrave also built the  museum as his personal residence.  He was a true romantic and his designs for the park, castle,  water falls, numerous gazebos, green houses and the capstone a huge statue of a Hercules on top of a ridge.  I hiked to the top, without Arendje.  She preferred to stay below and cheer me on.  Most went up by bus via a park road.  In the summer time, it must be pretty spectacular as they have cascading falls come all the way down the front .

This last picture was a two kilometer hike down from the Hercules statue.  The trees in the park contained many that were two hundred years old or more. There were some majestic oaks, elms, fir, cedar and maples. the colour and pungent odor of fall in the air made it a very pleasant way to spend a Sunday afternoon.