Page "Johannes Gutenberg" Paragraph 5

Gutenberg was born in the German city of Mainz, the youngest son of the upper-class merchant Friele Gensfleisch zur Laden, and his second wife, Else Wyrich, who was the daughter of a shopkeeper.

According to some accounts Friele was a goldsmith for the bishop at Mainz, but most likely, he was involved in the cloth trade.

Gutenberg's year of birth is not precisely known but was most likely around 1398.