Luthers Meisterwerk – ein Buch wie eine Naturgewalt
An exhibition from September 16 to December 31, 2015
The President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Joachim Gauck, and the Chairman of the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany, patron of the exhibition, Professor Dr. Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, inspect original copies of "Luther's Masterpiece" at the opening.
With original Bibles from the 1400s and 1500s, multimedia , interactive elements, and an extensive accompanying program, the preconditions and consequences of this most important book for the development of the German language and culture were presented.
A total of more than 70 incunabula, printed works, and autographs are on display. Highlights include original editions of Martin Luther’s “September Testament” from 1522 and the reformer’s “Biblia deutsch” from 1534 and 1545. Other treasures for bibliophiles include a Gutenberg Bible from 1454/1455. The Gutenberg Bible with Latin text is the first book in the West printed with movable metal type. Of the 180 editions of the first printing, 48 are still preserved. They are considered the most valuable printed books in the world. Also on display are the first Catholic and Reformed Bible prints with German text from the 16th century.
“Martin Luther discovered concepts and images that continue to shape the German language today,” said Joachim Gauck, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, at the opening of the exhibition “Luther’s Masterpiece – A Book Like a Force of Nature” in Frankfurt.
