Johannes Gutenberg was born in 1397 and died in 1468 in Mainz. His real name is Johannes Gensfleisch. He invented the book printing with movable letters. In Mainz he trained as a goldsmith. In 1438 Gutenberg entered into a partnership with Andreas Dritzehn to conduct experiments in printing. 1450 Gutenberg formed another partnership, with Johannes Fust, and set up a press on which he probably started printing the large Latin Bible. The Bible, known variously as the Gutenberg Bible, Mazarin Bible or 42-Line Bible. The Bible was finished before the end of 1456. Johannes Gutenberg originated the technique of printing from movable type. Gutenberg used hand-set type cast in moulds to print multiple copies of manuscripts. Whereas scribes copied manuscripts by hand before Gutenberg's invention, copying became mechanized and much faster after the invention. The invention of movable-type printing facilitated an easier exchange of ideas throughout Europe and helped spread the ideas of the Renaissance.
