„Die Kunst hat funden …“. Wie neu waren militärtechnische Entwicklungen im Spätmittelalter?
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Abstract
This article deals with the writing of military technology using the example of the development of gunpowder technology, and in particular the Firework Book (Feuerwerkbuch, c. 1440). In the early 15th century, a corpus of technical recipes and instructions, written in Early New High German, which occupies a special position in the development of this type of writing. The Firework Book is both a collection of recipes that are comprehensive and comprehensible, as well as insightful guidance for master gunners. The article discusses the content of the Firework Book, the plausibility of the recipes and their transmission, and provides insights on possible authors and users of the Fireworks Book as well as a broader discussion about how the Firework Book was both innovative and at the same time a continuation of an already established tradition.