The Luther effect : the influence of the Reformation on the development of printed media and communication

The aim of the article is to trace the consequences - often very distant in time - of the changes in the appearance, content and speed of circulation of publications initiated by Martin Luther. Striving to reach as many people as possible with his Reformation ideas, Lutherused and creatively developed the possibilities offered to him by printing with the use of movable type that had been invented shortly before then. He made his publications more attractive in terms of graphics, made them shorter, sped up their circulation, changed their style for one that was more accessible for the reader; he abandoned the usage of Latin in favour of the commonly understood German language. All of this resulted in a real boom for the publishing market – the development of the printing sector, an enormous increase in the numbers of printed brochures and books, an improvement of their quality, the development of the book market and the education of masses of recipients of the printed word. Over time, it also accelerated the circulation of information, and led to the creation of pre-journalistic forms. It was followed by an increase in literacy and the development of education - universal and uniform for both boys and girls. This had far-reaching consequences - raising the level of education of the whole society and the level of public debate, as well as encouraging a more active participation in the culture of books.