Samuel Selfisch

Samuel Selfisch (born November 10, 1529 in Erfurt , † January 8, 1615 in Wittenberg ) was a German publisher and bookseller, builder of a paper mill in Belzig , and an important mayor of Wittenberg in Saxony .

Life

Memorial plaque on Markt 6, in Lutherstadt Wittenberg

Samuel Selfisch was born in Erfurt as the son of the bookseller Johann Selfisch and his wife Catarina (née Weißenkorn). At the age of 16, his parents sent him to what was then the book printing stronghold, to Wittenberg . There he was initially accepted by the renowned bookseller Barthel Vogel. He later switched to the bookseller and mayor Conrad Rühel and expanded his knowledge of the book trade.

At the age of 28 he started his own bookshop. From Wittenberg, he initially sold books domestically and expanded the distribution of his products to many European countries, including Iceland and Turkey. He then invested the profits he made in the production of the books. In Belzig, for example, he built a paper mill for his son Laurentius and invested money in mining shares. His extensive publishing house mainly published theological writings, including 17 Bible editions and 49 works by Luther . This complex sales strategy made him as a businessman one of the most important booksellers in Germany in the 16th century.

In addition to the acquisition of land, he soon realized that the trading concept with the rich profit alone is not decisive. This also shows his social commitment when he donated 1,500 guilders to the God's box . For the city of Wittenberg, he acquired the new church on which the northern cemetery is located on Dresdner Strasse today. In addition, due to his outstanding importance in the city of Wittenberg, he was offered offices in the city council. He was chamberlain in 1569, 1572, 1575, 1578, 1581 and 1584; also mayor in 1585, 1588, 1591, 1594, 1597, 1600, 1603, 1606, 1609 and 1612 as well as assessor of the mayor in 1586, 1589, 1590, 1592, 1595, 1598, 1601, 1604, 1607, 1610 and 1613.

family

He was the grandson of Laurentius Seelfisch († February 23, 1504 in Erfurt). On January 20, 1557, he married Maria Rühel († September 1, 1580), in the presence of Paul Eber and Philipp Melanchthon .

After her death, he married Magaretha Rubin on November 25, 1583 († June 30, 1594). Both marriages had 14 children (seven sons and seven daughters). During his lifetime he was able to enjoy a rich offspring of 77 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. There is a genealogical connection to Beatrix , the former Queen of the Netherlands, through his daughter Christina . Today there is a memorial plaque at the Markt 3 building in Lutherstadt Wittenberg . Of the children are known:

• Samuel Selfisch (1563-1614)
• Petrus Selfisch (1565-1619)
• Conrad Selfisch (1567–1567)
• Maria Selfisch (1558–1626), married to Augustin Cranach .
• Maria Magdalena Selfisch (1568–1616), married to Petrus Albinus and second marriage to Christoph Wust.
• Anna Selfisch (1571–1571)
• Matthias Selfisch (1572–1636) takes over the business after the death of his father
• Johann Selfisch (1575–1575)
• Catarina Selfisch (1576–1661 in Coburg)
• Laurentius Selfisch (* 1578) owner of a paper mill in Belzig and councilor.
• Christina Selfisch (1585–1661) 1st marriage to Benedikt Carpzov the Elder and 2nd marriage to Friedrich Praetorius
• Magarethe Selfisch (* 1587 - after 1630)

Since the church records in Wittenberg do not begin until the beginning of 1560, it is assumed that a son and daughter were born and died early after the registrations. Research to date has not revealed their names.

literature

• Catalog or index of the books which Samuel Selfisch published and had printed, from Anno1554 to 1608th year . Martin Henckel, Wittenberg 1608
• Paul Gottlieb Kettner: The Raths-Collegio of the Chur-City Wittenberg. Wolfenbüttel 1734.
• Rotary Clubs Wittenberg: Famous Wittenberg guests. 2nd Edition.
• Heinrich Kühne , Heinz Motel: Famous personalities and their connection to Wittenberg. Druckhaus Göttinger Tageblatt, Göttingen 1990, ISBN 3-924781-17-6 .
• Fritz Roth : Complete evaluations of funeral sermons and personal documents for genealogical and cultural-historical purposes. 10 volumes, Boppard 1959–1980.
• Wittenberg church records.
• Gustav Stier: The Latin inscriptions Wittenberg. Herrose Verlag, Wittenberg 1860.
• Hans Konrad Leonhard: Samuel Selfisch: A German bookseller at the exit of the XVI. Century. (diss. phil. Leipzig). Jäh & Schunke, Leipzig 1902 ( Google Books ; limited preview).

Individual evidence

1. ^ Hans Konrad Leonhard: Samuel Selfisch: A German bookseller at the exit of the XVI. Century. Jäh & Schunke, Leipzig 1902, No. 12a, p. 105ff ( Google Books ; limited preview).