A Call for Readers!

On the 500th anniversary of their first publication, the four hilarious, successful and witty Reformation Dialogues by Hans Sachs will be reissued in a new edition. This will include new English translations, a historical introduction, linguistic footnotes, and also the 15th century English translation of the first dialogue. We are looking for readers willing to do a live recording of the first dialogue in early modern German, early modern Dutch (only parts of it), and in early modern English for the launch event!

Launch: Friday, 1 November, 5-6:30pm
Taylor Institution Library (St Giles, Oxford), Room 2

The new edition will be volume 7 of the ‘Reformation Pamphlets’ series of the ‘Taylor Editions’, with contributions by Nicholas Champness, Philip Flacke, Henrike Lähnemann, Timothy Powell, and Thomas Wood.

Digital editions:

• Sachs, Hans Disputacion zwischen ainem Chorherrenn vnnd Schüchmacher dariñ das wort gottes vnd ein recht Cristlich wesen verfochtten wirtt. M. D. XXiiii [1524]
• Sachs, Hans / Scoloker, Anthony, A goodly dysputacion betwene a Christen shomaker, and a Popyssche parson with two other parsones more, done within the famous Citie of Norembourgh. London 1548
• Sachs, Hans; Osiander, Andreas Eyn wunderliche Weyssagung / von dem Babstumb / wie es yhm biß an das endt der welt gehen sol / in figuren oder gemaͤl begriffen / gefunden zu Nuͤrmberg / ym Cartheuser Closter / vnd ist seher alt. Nuremberg: Hans Guldenmund, M. D. xxvii. Jar. 1527

Recordings and other audio-visual material

Recording of the first of the Reformation dialogues by Hans Sachs. Chorherr: Konstantin Winters. Schuhmacher: Linus Ubl. Köchin: Henrike Lähnemann.

Reposting from a blog by Charlotte Hartmann on Hans Sachs in Oxford

The Disputation zwischen einem Chorherren und Schuhmacher, the first of Hans Sachs four Reformation dialogues was by far the most successful. The pamphlet’s enormous popularity is proved both by the noticeable number of eleven different printed editions in 1524 alone and the fact that it was translated not only into Dutch, but also into English (A goodly dysputacion betwene a christen shomaker, and a popysshe parson). Sachs’ publisher and printer was Hieronymus Höltzel, who produced the first prints of the last three dialogues, whereas this dialogue was first printed by Gustav Erlinger in Bamberg – possibly for the reason that reformatory publications in the city of Nuremberg, Sachs’ hometown, were subject to strict censorship at the time.

The dialogue features a lively debate between a canon and the shoemaker Hans, which centres on the principal question as to the say of laymen in clerical and theological discussions. Sachs coquets with his recently attained fame through the publication of his allegoric poem Die Wittembergisch Nachtigall (1523) when the shoemaker casually notes the cleric’s nightingale, which eventuates in a temperamental outburst of the canon. The opponents are unevenly matched: From the very beginning the figures are characterised by their manner of speaking. The author satirically targets the contrast between the shoemaker’s respectful, polite salutation and the canon’s distinctly ‘sloppy’ remarks. It quickly becomes obvious that the Lutheran craftsman, who is very well-versed in the Bible, outperforms the canon by far. The argumentation of the latter seems to result chiefly from his insistence on traditional privileges, underlining the concern for his own comfort. Not by chance does Sachs frequently refer to the canon’s pantoffel, which are a symbol for the comfortable and easy life he leads. Throughout the discussion the shoemaker’s sober reasoning leaves the canon unconvincing and helpless.

The use of the dialogue form in pamphlets was not new. Especially in the early 1520s the dialogue experienced a striking heyday. This fomenting genre offered the opportunity to depict the process of opinion-forming and simultaneously influencing it. Nevertheless, Hans Sachs’ Disputation zwischen einem Chorherren und Schuhmacher was particularly significant, owing its enormous popularity to its distinctly vivid style of conversation and character depiction and its numerous reproductions, which were fuelled by the controversial prominence of Luther’s conception of lay priesthood.

Two of these three woodcuts look much alike, whereas one seems to clearly differ from the others. It was common practice for designers of woodcuts to trace existing woodcuts, using thin sandwich paper. This image was then transferred. It can be assumed that these reproduced woodcuts were not refined, since reprints were mainly expected to be cheap and quickly available while looking as alike as possible. A slightly longer coarser nose can therefore be an indication that this woodcut was a later copy made from an older woodcut.

Which differences can you find? Which one do you think is the oldest/youngest?