Polonica published in printing houses of German-language area as an example of the mobility of literary texts in the sixteenth-century Europe

Abstract

The author indicates that the problem of foreign editions of Polish authors' texts in the 16^th century has been poorly explored in the history of the old-Polish books. Two questions are essential: the role of foreign printing houses in completing the publishing repertoire of Polish printing houses and the role of Polonica in the cultural life of the sixteenth-century Europe. The author attempts to answer these questions, characterizing comprehensively Polonica published in printing houses of the German-language area (Germany, Austria, Switzerland). They amounted (according to the author) to approx. 1050 prints published independently, and at least 1184 works contained within larger publications. Its analysis leads to the statement that the printers from the German-language area, publishing Polonica, referred to original manuscripts, its Polish or foreign editions. Polonica published in the German-language area became the basis of reeditions (reprints) and publishing remakes in other European countries. Thus, they are a good example of the mobility of literary texts in the sixteenth-century Europe.