Ulrich Boner
Swiss fabulist whose Der Edelstein was an early German printed book.
via Wikipedia: Ulrich Boner · see source
Ulrich Boner, or Bonerius (fl. early 14th century), was a German-speaking Swiss writer of fable. Born in Bern, he descended from an old Bernese family and, as far as can be ascertained, took clerical orders and became a monk; yet as it appears that he subsequently married, it is certain that he received the tonsure only, and was thus entitled to the benefit of the clerici uxoriati, who, on divesting themselves of the clerical garb, could return to secular life. He is mentioned in records between 1324 and 1349, but neither before nor after these dates. He wrote, in Middle High German, a collection of fables entitled Der Edelstein ('The Jewel') (c. 1349), one hundred in number, which were based principally on those of Avianus (4th century) and the Anonymus Neveleti (edited by Isaac Nicolas Nevelet, 1610). He dedicated this work to the Bernese patrician and poet, , advocatus (Vogt) of Brienz (d. c. 1350). It was printed in 1461 at Bamberg by Albrecht Pfister and was one of the first books printed in the German language.
Quick Facts
- Name
- Ulrich Boner (Bonerius)
- Flourished
- early 14th century
- Birthplace
- Bern
- Occupation
- writer of fable, cleric (tonsure only)
- Notable work
- Der Edelstein (The Jewel), c. 1349
- First printed
- 1461, Bamberg, by Albrecht Pfister
Facts from the source article.
Background
Ulrich Boner's life is known only through scattered records between 1324 and 1349. He was born in Bern, of an old Bernese family. He took clerical orders and became a monk, but because he later married, it is certain he received only the tonsure—meaning he could legally return to secular life by setting aside clerical garb. His one known work, Der Edelstein, is a collection of one hundred fables in Middle High German, completed around 1349. The fables draw principally on Avianus (4th century) and the Anonymus Neveleti, a medieval fable collection later edited by Isaac Nicolas Nevelet in 1610. Boner dedicated the book to a Bernese patrician and poet, the advocatus (Vogt) of Brienz, who died around 1350. The work was printed in 1461 at Bamberg by Albrecht Pfister, making it one of the first books printed in the German language. Later editors include G. F. Benecke (Berlin, 1816) and Franz Pfeiffer (Leipzig, 1844); a modern German translation by Karl Pannier appeared in Leipzig in 1895. Scholarly studies include G. E. Lessing's work in Zur Geschichte und Literatur (Werke, ix.) and Christian Waas's Die Quellen der Beispiele Boners (Giessen, 1897).
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