Laurens Janszoon Coster
Laurens Janszoon Coster , also Laurens Jansz. Koster and Laurens Janssoen Coster (* around 1370 in Haarlem ; † around 1440 ) was a sexton at the Parochial Church in Haarlem and a member of the Grand Council, aldermen, city treasurer. A legend sees him as the inventor of the printing press .
Coster legend
Coster was considered to be the inventor of the printing press in the Netherlands . He is said to have developed this from 1423 in his hometown of Haarlem. Other sources mention 1428 or 1430. Coster's name is mentioned for the first time in 1568 (posthumously) by the Dutch writer Hadrianus Junius (Adrian de Jongh) in his "Batavia", a kind of "History of the Netherlands", written in 1568 and printed in 1588. The Dutch authors Jan Van Zuyren and Dirck Volkertszoon Coornhert had previously expressed the thesis that printing was invented in Haarlem. In the Netherlands it is certain that books called "Costeriana" were printed in Haarlem around 1450.
Critics of this theory refer to the "Kölner Chronik" printed in 1499. In it the claim that printing was invented in Holland is described as "obviously a lie". The so-called "Costeriana" (the Dutch early prints) can only be proven since 1471. Johannes Gutenberg , who is considered the inventor of printing with movable type in Germany, is said to have worked on his invention in strict secrecy in Strasbourg from 1436 onwards . His famous 42-line Bible was printed in Mainz from 1452–1454 .
Nevertheless, for a long time it was read in Dutch school books that Laurens Janszoon Coster invented the art of printing, and the city of Haarlem commemorates Costers with anniversaries, medals and in books. Today, however, Gutenberg is widely recognized as the inventor of printing in the Netherlands as well. Apart from this European discussion, it is certain that book printing with movable type was invented in China as early as the 11th century .
literature
- Ernst Kelchner : Coster, Laurens Janssoen . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 4, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1876, p. 515 f.
- Rudolf Juchhoff: What remains of the Dutch claims to the invention of typography? Gutenberg Yearbook , 1950, 128–133.
Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Coster, Laurens Janszoon |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Sexton at the Parochial Church in Haarlem and member of the Grand Council, aldermen, city treasurer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | around 1370 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Haarlem |
| DATE OF DEATH | around 1440 |