13 moments

1. Birth in Mainz

   1400-01-01 · Mainz, Germany

   

   Gutenberg was born in Mainz, the Rhine city that remained central to his family, printing work, final residence, and death. The year is conventional and approximate; the exact birth date is unknown.

2. First family departure from Mainz

   1411-01-01 · Mainz, Germany

   

   During conflict between Mainz patricians and guilds, Gutenberg's family left the city. This is an early documented displacement from his birthplace. The source identifies the family’s departure but does not securely identify Gutenberg’s destination.

3. Second family departure from Mainz

   1413-01-01 · Mainz, Germany

   Gutenberg's family again left Mainz amid hunger riots, marking another documented interruption to his early life in the city. The destination is not securely documented; Eltville is presented by the source only as probable.

4. Documented stay in Strasbourg begins

   1434-03-14 · Strasbourg, France

   

   A Strasbourg record associated with Gutenberg’s detention of Nikolaus Wörstadt provides the first documentary proof of his stay in Strasbourg. Coordinates represent central Strasbourg; the source does not identify the site of the detention.

5. Gemstone instruction at St. Arbogast

   1437-01-01 · St. Arbogast, Strasbourg, France

   

   While living in Strasbourg’s St. Arbogast suburb, Gutenberg taught Andreas Dritzehn gemstone polishing and grinding, demonstrating his involvement in skilled metalworking. The date is approximate. Coordinates are a representative point for the historic St. Arbogast area; Gutenberg’s exact residence is unknown.

6. Pilgrimage-mirror enterprise in Strasbourg

   1438-01-01 · Strasbourg, France

   During his Strasbourg residence, Gutenberg worked with Hans Riffe von Lichtenau on serial production of pilgrimage mirrors intended for the Aachen pilgrimage market. Coordinates represent Strasbourg because the precise production site is not identified.

7. Final documented Strasbourg presence

   1444-03-12 · Strasbourg, France

   

   Gutenberg’s payment of annual wine tax is the last documented evidence of his presence in Strasbourg before the gap preceding his confirmed return to Mainz. Coordinates represent central Strasbourg; the tax record does not locate a specific building.

8. Confirmed return to Mainz

   1448-10-17 · Mainz, Germany

   

   A loan obtained through Arnold Gelthus is the first certain documentary proof that Gutenberg had re-established himself in Mainz. The source identifies Mainz as the place where Gutenberg had regained a foothold; the loan document’s exact venue is not stated.

9. Printing workshop at Hof zum Humbrecht

   1450-01-01 · Hof zum Humbrecht, Mainz, Germany

   

   Around 1450, Gutenberg was producing early prints from the workshop he established at the Hof zum Humbrecht in Mainz. The date is approximate. Coordinates represent the documented former Hof zum Humbrecht site at Schusterstraße 18–20.

10. Expulsion from Mainz during the Diocesan Feud

    1462-10-30 · Mainz, Germany

    After Adolf von Nassau’s conquest of Mainz, Gutenberg and his employees were among those expelled from the city. Coordinates represent Mainz because the source does not identify the point from which Gutenberg was expelled.

11. Residence at Algesheimer Hof

    1465-01-01 · Algesheimer Hof, Mainz, Germany

    

    Following his appointment as a courtier by Archbishop Adolph von Nassau, Gutenberg returned to Mainz and lived at the Algesheimer Hof with board and lodging. The surviving site has been substantially rebuilt; coordinates mark the documented Algesheimer Hof location.

12. Death at Algesheimer Hof

    1468-01-01 · Algesheimer Hof, Mainz, Germany

    

    Gutenberg died in early 1468 at or after residing in the Algesheimer Hof, his final documented home in Mainz. The exact day of death is disputed; this card therefore uses year-level precision.

13. Burial in the Franciscan church

    1468-02-01 · Franciscan Church site, Mainz, Germany

    After his death, Gutenberg was buried in the Franciscan monastery church in Mainz, at the site now associated with Alte Universitätsstraße. The Franciscan church was later destroyed; coordinates represent the documented former church site at Alte Universitätsstraße 19.