Johannes Gutenberg

Johannes Gutenberg was a German craftsman who invented the movable type printing press. He replaced the woodblock with a template of separate metallic letters, enabling mass book production.

Johannes Gutenberg's exact dates of birth and death are unknown. Presumably he was born into an upper-class family and studied at the University of Erfurt. He was a goldsmith, an engraver and a gem cutter.World Socialist Website: Six hundred years since the birth of Johannes Gutenberg—inventor of the printing press (January 3, 2001)

Inspired by oil and wine presses, Johannes Gutenberg experimented for years on the printing press, continuously seeking funding. He worked in secrecy and by 1455 printed between 160 and 180 bibles.New York Times: In the Spirit of Gutenberg, Treasures for All (November 13, 2003) For his achievement the archbishop of Mainz endowed him with a pension.Britannica.com: Johannes Gutenberg Movable type printing is often cited as the invention that facilitated the spread of the Reformation in Europe.World Socialist Website: Six hundred years since the birth of Johannes Gutenberg—inventor of the printing press (January 3, 2001)

The Gutenberg Bible is one of the first printed books in European history. Pages are unnumbered, each consisting of 42 lines, giving the book its alternative title, The 42-line Bible.