To Elector John Frederick [Wittenberg,] July 8, 1539 In April of 1539 Duke George of Saxony, Luther's bitter foe since the days of the Leipzig Disputation in 1519, died. He was succeeded by his brother, Duke Henry, during whose short reign (1539–1541) the Reformation was officially introduced in Ducal Saxony. This was a heavy blow for the papal party in the Empire, but especially for a printer named Nicholas Wolrab1 whom John Cochlaeus2 had set up in Leipzig in 1535 for the specific purpose of printing the works of papal theologians directed against the Reformers, and also any materials pertaining to the pending council. At the beginning of May, 1539, Duke Henry stopped Wolrab's work on the third volume of a Postil by George Witzel.3 On May 11 Wolrab approached the Duke and requested permission to complete the work, pointing out that in printing Witzel's Postil he was only following Duke George's order, and that he had invested large sums in the project which he would lose, were he to discontinue the half-completed project. Wolrab added a postscript in which he mentioned his intention of reprinting Luther's German Bible,4 and asked for a ducal patent which would license him exclusively to print and market Luther's German Bible in the Duchy of Saxony. As one might expect, Luther found out about this plan. In the following letter Luther approaches his territorial lord,
Elector John Frederick, with the request that he see to it that Wolrab not get away with this plan. Luther points out that it would be wrong to let Wolrab enrich himself at the expense of the hard work of the Wittenberg publishers and printers who took the financial risk for the German Bible in the first place.
Were Wolrab successful, it would certainly mean financial loss for the Electors subjects, because the people at Leipzig have better marketing opportunities.
On Elector John Frederick, see LW 48, 181 f.
Text in German: WA, Br 8, 491.5
To the Most Serene, Noble Sovereign and Lord, Sir John Frederick, duke in Saxony, archmarshal and elector of the Holy Roman Empire, landgrave in Thuringia, margrave in Meissen, and count of the castle in Magdeburg, my Most Gracious Lord
Grace and peace in Christ, and also my humble Pater noster!6 Most Serene, Noble Sovereign, Most Gracious Lord! Wolrab at Leipzig—the scoundrel7 who until now has printed and with great effort distributed all the insulting books directed against us—has decided to reprint our German Bible and take the bread out of the mouths of our printers.8 Your Electoral Grace knows how unfair it is that this scoundrel should be able to use the labor and expense of our printers for his own profit and their damage.
This would mean that he with his wickedness would manage to have even our work serve him in the best possible way as the result of his unpunished foul play, disgraceful action, and slander. Therefore it is my humble request that Your Electoral Grace help see to it that Wolrab does not reap such rich rewards from his wickedness, and that Your Electoral Grace's subjects not have to pay so dearly for the expenses and risk [they were willing to face]. I do not mention the fact, which is annoying to me personally, that that slanderer and printer of insulting books should abuse my own hard work in this way, and in addition perhaps even scoff. For what he might deserve by his [past] printing [activity] insofar as God and we are concerned9 I shall entrust to God. It would not be unfair, of course, if the printers at Leipzig, who until now have grown sufficiently rich with their insulting books, were forced to refrain for a time from becoming even richer With our books and by ruining our printers. For it can easily be figured out that the printers at Leipzig can more easily sell a thousand copies, because all the markets are in Leipzig,10 than our printers can sell a hundred copies.
In this matter Your Electoral Grace certainly will know how to arrive at a solution worthy of Your Grace.11 With this I commend you to the dear Lord. Amen.
Your Electoral Grace's dedicated