The sixteenth century was deeply determined by the events surrounding the Protestant Reformation launched by Dr. Martin Luther in 1517, leading ultimately to the emergence of a new Church. The heavy theological debates seem to have overshadowed almost all other aspects, and literary history has followed that trend, although this had the negative consequence that much of secular literature produced during that time was simply overlooked or ignored. The focus has mostly rested on religious narratives, Shrovetide plays, and Humanist poetry and prose (in Latin and in German). Nevertheless, the early modern book markets were filled with the first modern prose novels and also jest narratives (Schwänke), which mostly continued the tradition of late medieval fabliaux, mæren, tales, and novelle. Latin authors such as Caesarius of Heisterbach (Dialogus miraculorum, ca. 1220) and the anonymous composer...
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Citation: Classen, Albrecht. "Hans Wilhelm Kirchhof". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 22 November 2023 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=15125, accessed 17 December 2025.]
