Don’t worry, luck will visit you

SHIN BOK-RYONG
The author is former emeritus professor of history at Konkuk University.

One day in the 1440s, aristocrats were gambling at a house in Mainz, Prussia. Johannes Gutenberg, in his 30s at the time, was constantly losing money while gambling. Gutenberg, who’d been born into an aristocratic family, took his mother’s surname. When he lost money and returned home, he thought he could print his writing and drawings on the gambling cards by making stamps.

He began engraving letters on wood. It was the first woodblock type in the West. He did not have money. But Konrad Humery, a rich goldsmith with a great business mind, actively supported Gutenberg’s project. As the wood type wore out, the two began making copper alternatives in order to print the Bible.

The first Bible was printed on parchment, first 36 lines, then 42 lines, then 46 lines. This is called the Mazarin Bible, and it is displayed in the hallway of the U.S. Library of Congress. Gutenberg made a fortune — before Humery unexpectedly betrayed him.

Gutenberg could not continue his business after his companion’s betrayal. While the man was in despair, Adolph II, Bishop of Nassau, became the mayor of Mainz. The Bishop, who was a devout Christian, visited Gutenberg and helped him produce and sell the Bible so he could spend his last years comfortably. Gutenberg’s life highlights that the success of a person can act as a safety net for an acrobat’s mistake.

Some readers may feel bitter that the printing press — the greatest cultural achievement in human history — originated from gambling cards. Its evolution also involved deception, betrayal, frustration and generosity. Young people should not be discouraged, as such luck may come to them at any time.