Paul to Linhart, 1544

Stadtarchiv Nürnberg, E29/IV, 485
Letter of Paul IV Tucher from Wittenberg to his father Linhart II Tucher in Nuremberg, 13.11.1544

This letter dates from the time of Paul’s stay in Wittenberg, where he was studying the "Artes liberales". The student’s father, Linhart, had last written on 31 October. Before that, a consignment of clothing and a duvet had arrived from Nuremberg on 17 October.

This letter from Paul reflects the classic problem of student life: the son has to ask for money once again. He also reports that his master advised him to study law as well. A list of the student’s expenses is preserved as an enclosure, covering the period from early July to mid-November 1544. Besides the costs for clothing, laundry, payments to the master, to the barber, there are also details of Paul Tucher’s book purchases: Among other things, he purchased Johannes Bugenhagen’s printed lectures on the Psalms, Philipp Melanchthon’s postil, as well as a German edition of Livius and a history of Greece.

Helge Weingärtner