Jan Haller

Johann Haller ( * 1463 in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, † 1525 ) is considered one of the founders of the printing press in Poland and in the former capital Kraków. From him the Haller family comes from.

Life

After studying at the Krakow Academy Johann Haller acted first with wine, copper and tin. Haller was married to Barbara Kunosch, the daughter of a wealthy furrier Krakow. Towards the end of the 15th century Haller began to operate as a publisher of printed works. His first print products were missals, followed Breviere for the clergy. Haller acquired in 1505 by the King monopolistic pressure privileges for six dioceses, which he protected himself against competition. Haller expanded his business soon extended scientific books such as writings on astronomy, mathematics, philosophy and law, and to the pressure of royal and ecclesiastical statutes.

In 1509 Nicolaus Copernicus published with the support of Laurentius Corvinus ( Lorenz Raven ) with him his Latin translation of the Greek Epistles of Theophylact Simocatta.

To date, about 250 books have received from his workshop. Most are Latin texts, but Haller is also considered the first Polish-language texts - phrases, sentences and full former national anthem ( " Mother of God Virgin, God promised Maria " issued by the Polish- Lithuanian army before the battle of Tannenberg (1410 ) was sung ) - wove in Latin books and can therefore be considered as one of the pioneers of the polish-language book.

When his masterpiece is considered the first illustrated book, which issued Haller. It contained 354 pages with woodcuts. Haller has made ​​a total of 3,530 signatures.

After a message from Jan Daniel Janocki, librarian of the Zaluski Library, he was probably also mayor of the city of Krakow.