Laienspiegel

The lay mirror is one of the most important law books of the early modern period. He had to convey as possible intelligible in German language the goal of Roman legal content. The target group in this case especially legal practitioners (judges, lawyers, writers ) who had not studied, what was the majority at that time.

History

Under the title " Laijen mirror. of lawful regulations in Burger Lichen VND embarrassing regiments. with allegation [ s ] vn [ d] bewerungen Auss gesatzen geschribnen right vnnd " the right book was printed in mirror shape in 1509 in Augsburg for the first time. It is the work of Ulrich Tengler ( 1445-1521/22 ). It was published by the eminent publisher Johann Rynmann of Öhringen. The humanist, Strasbourg town clerk and assessor at the Imperial Court of Justice Sebastian Brant, who also wrote a preface, supported and promoted this company. 1511 appeared the laity mirror in a revised version as " The new lay mirror ". The importance of the work can be measured by that it experienced at least 14 printed editions throughout the 16th century, including many " pirated " ( unauthorized reprints ).

The split into three books lay mirror contains private law, criminal law - each embedded in appropriate procedural rules - and also public law. It is similar in structure and partly also in the content of the older Klagspiegel (around 1436 ), the Sebastian Brant had put on a few years later, new, not recommended without to use always both books together. Examples of the layperson level should also, among other things, the "Speculum iudiciale " of Durantis ( 2nd half of 13th century), the " Malleus Maleficarum " of the Dominican Institoris ( 1487; known as Witches' Hammer ), the " Constitutio Criminalis Bambergensis " ( 1507) and perhaps also have been (a private collection Magdeburg Oberhof Proverbs ) the "Magdeburg questions ".

Remarkable are the numerous important woodcuts of the layman level. For printed in Augsburg edition of 1509, she created a hitherto identifiable champion "HF", who was probably in Strasbourg. For the extended "new lay Mirror" ( first edition Augsburg 1511) six woodcuts of the famous Hans Schaufelin were added. In the reprints incurred in Strasbourg, the woodcuts of the Augsburg editions are imitated clear and simple in a smaller format.

Ulrich Tengler, who had never studied law, as was already Conrad Heyden, the author of the Klagspiegels, town clerk a southern German imperial city been: From 1479 Tengler held this position in Nördlingen, then from 1485 bailiff in Heidenheim ( Brenz ) and later to be bailiff in Blenheim ( Danube ). At the time when Governor - on the experiences of a long life as a legal practitioner looking back - he wrote his works.