Strasbourg, 1437: In the shadow of the cathedral, eleven-year-old Peter carves trinkets for the pilgrims, with his dog Töffel always at his side. Life is not easy. Together with his sister, he has fled from their violent father, and now the two of them must fend for themselves. Then Peter meets a man working on a mysterious invention: Johannes Gutenberg. And of all people, Gutenberg needs Peter's help. In his hidden workshop, Gutenberg is developing printing with movable metal type. But war, plague and money troubles threaten the project again and again.
In „Peter und die Macht der Buchstaben“ (Peter and the Power of Letters), Dagmar Petrick combines a gripping adventure with well-founded historical knowledge. Written for young readers, the book takes them into everyday life in the 15th century. They see how people lived and worked at the time, and they are right there as the beginnings of printing take shape in Gutenberg's workshop. It is a story about courage and friendship. It also tells of the value of books at a time when reading and writing were the privilege of a few.
Dagmar Petrick was born in Ludwigsburg in 1970 and lives there again today. She studied English, film studies and Protestant theology in Marburg and Bochum, and has lived in England, Northern Ireland and the USA, among other places. She began by writing about film before turning to stories of her own. Today she writes mainly for young readers, often about remarkable personalities. One example is her children's book about Helen Keller, „Martha, Helen und der Weg aus der Dunkelheit“. She also writes stories for the German children's radio programme OHRENBÄR.
At the reading, Dagmar Petrick presents her new book and takes the audience on a journey back in time to late-medieval Strasbourg. Afterwards, guests are invited to stay for drinks and a chance to talk with the author.
When: Thursday, 22 October 2026, 6 pm
Where: Gutenberg-Museum MOVED, Aula, Reichklarastraße 1, 55116 Mainz
Admission free
Registration: Please mail to: info@gemeinsamfuergutenberg.de
Recommended for: Children aged 10 and up – and all adults who want to discover Gutenberg anew
The book: Dagmar Petrick, „Peter und die Macht der Buchstaben“, Neukirchener Verlag 2026, hardcover, €16, ISBN 978-3-7615-7090-6