Although the historic achievements of Renaissance humanism in Germany around 1500 are rightfully attached to such names as Conrad Celtis, Johannes Reuchlin, and Ulrich von Hutten, the pioneering work occurred decades earlier. In Italy the rediscovery of forgotten aspects of the ancient world had produced a critical reevaluation of the prevalent modes of thought and a recognition of the severe limitations of the existing educational system; in the middle of the fifteenth century the Italian humanist movement, which resulted from these changes, began to have an influence in Germany. Peter Luder played a key role in this earliest phase of German humanism but was totally forgotten until 1869, when Wilhelm Wattenbach discovered his long-neglected manuscripts.

Born around 1415 in the village of Kislau in the diocese of Speyer, Luder registered at the University of Heidelberg for the winter semester of 1430-1431. Because he was poor, he did not have to pay...