From a ´Private Print´ to a ´Bestseller´. Text and Printing History of ´Theuerdank´

As a publication project, `Theuerdank` is a singular case. Emperor Maximilian commissioned a specific type to be used for this book exclusively. In a fitting completely equal to that of a medieval manuscript, the book was due to be distributed at certain predetermined places within the Empire, after the Emperor`s death. An assigned `clavis` (`key`) discloses to the reader the fact that the knight Theuerdank is a disguise of the Emperor himself. Hence, `Theuerdank` is the first roman-à-clef written in German. The exclusive project did not meet with success, however: the first print of 1517, distributed as late as 1526, was anticipated by a pirate edition in 1519. Notwithstanding, or precisely for this reason, `Theuerdank` and its woodcuts started an unprecedented career resulting in eleven prints until the year 1693. The exclusive roman-à-clef published in form of a `private print` turned out to be a bestseller of wide reception, while the text was considerably modified and enriched with various accompanying texts. Neither the text modifications that have taken place on a linguistic and conceptional level, as well as on a level regarding content, nor the amplifications of the text ensemble have been systematically examined up to now. This is true also for the transformations of the print design and of the book`s fitting that have never been viewed in a comprehensive way: a comparative viewing of the complete transmission of this exclusive book (which is, even today, often sold by sheet, due to its precious woodcuts) was hardly possible because no library is in possession of all published editions. Such a library and a comparative recording of and commentary on all prints will exist in the future, though: high-quality digital versions of all `Theuerdank` prints have been acquired during project preparation and will be made accessible next to the prints already available online as a digital `Theuerdank` library by way of a commented link collection. At the same time, the link collection serves as a base for the planned project that intends to comment on and compare all existing printed versions. The commentary is to stimulate work on the digitals, to demonstrate exemplarily the opportunities as well as the challenges offered by a more and more frequent use of digital versions, and to propose a way to react to them in terms of research strategy. More important still, a monograph will be composed that delineates the transformations undergone by text and print design of `Theuerdank` in the course of time. Essential changes both in the understanding of literature and in the practice of media use of the reception contexts, as well as a radically changing relationship to the Middle Ages and to Maximilian Ist are among the results that can be perceived on the horizon by now.

As a publication project, Theuerdank is a singular case. Emperor Maximilian commissioned a specific type to be used for this book exclusively. In a fitting completely equal to that of a medieval manuscript, the book was due to be distributed at certain predetermined places within the Empire, after the Emperors death. An assigned clavis(key) discloses to the reader the fact that the knight Theuerdank is a disguise of the Emperor himself. Hence, Theuerdank is the first roman-à-clef written in German. The exclusive project did not meet with success, however: the first print of 1517, distributed as late as 1526, was anticipated by a pirate edition in 1519. Notwithstanding, or precisely for this reason, Theuerdank and its woodcuts started an unprecedented career resulting in eleven prints until the year 1693. The exclusive roman-à-clef published in form of a private print turned out to be a bestseller of wide reception, while the text was considerably modified and enriched with various accompanying texts. Neither the text modifications that have taken place on a linguistic and conceptional level, as well as on a level regarding content, nor the amplifications of the text ensemble have been systematically examined up to now. This is true also for the transformations of the print design and of the books fitting that have never been viewed in a com- prehensive way: a comparative viewing of the complete transmission of this exclusive book (which is, even today, often sold by sheet, due to its precious woodcuts) was hardly possible because no library is in possession of all published editions. Such a library and a comparative recording of and commentary on all prints exists now by the project: high-quality digital versions of all Theuerdank prints have been acquired as a digital Theuerdank library by way of a commented link collection. The commentary is to stimulate work on the digitals. What we see now is an essential changes both in the understanding of literature and in the practice of media use of the reception contexts, as well as a radically changing relationship to the Middle Ages and to Maximilian Ist are among the results that can be perceived on the horizon by now.