Reformation Printers: Unsung Heroes

From Printing to Nation-States, from Internet to Neo-Medieval Globalism

“…But the Lutherans, with the printing press to spread their message, were far more successful. Hugo's thesis about the printing press is now widely accepted, (e.g., see Cole (1984)) but Hugo has a second, more ambitious thesis:…”

From the Social History of the Reformation (1960-1980) to the Reformation as Communication Process (1990-2000)

“…This has also echoed similar investigations into the social historiography of the German urban Reformation, mainly focused on the world of printers. 28 The unprecedented crowd violence that emerged as the hallmark of the French wars of religion became the subject of a seminal article published by Davis in 1973. 29 Her exploration of the semantics of religious violence subsequently triggered a series of studies which broadened impressively the field of investigation, focusing on Protestant iconoclasm as well as the renascent ideal of martyrdom in the service of the true faith, as claimed by both rival confessions in the religious wars of the Reformation.…”

Communication and power in early modern England: A new model

“…13 'Words in print', says Cole in reference to the Reformation era, 'became virtual missiles.' 14 It is worth remembering that Reformation-era Germany boasted an overall literacy rate of only about 5 per cent -reaching as high as 30 per cent in the cities -at a time that pamphlets became the most influential mode of communication in Central Europe. 15 By 1580, most English yeoman, tradesmen, and craftsmen were able to read, and up to 30 per cent of husbandmen.…”