In the mid-15th century, John Gutenberg, who lived near Frankfurt, invented letterpress printing and published the first printed version of the Bible. The first 180 copies were sold before it was officially released. The rise of printing made the 16th and 17th centuries
Frankfurt has become the most important book trading venue in Germany. Its services are not only for Germans, but also for other Latin-speaking European countries. Books were shipped to Frankfurt in boxes and brought back to local sales by booksellers from all over.
For a period of time, books in Frankfurt were strictly censored by the royal family, and the book trade center in Germany was transferred to the more liberal and open city of Leipzig. After the Second World War, Frankfurt once again became the center of the book trade. By 1949, the first modern book fair was held at Paul's Church in Frankfurt. Germans' desire for literature, especially foreign literature, contributed to the book fair. By 1954, the participation of foreign publishers even exceeded that of the German publishing industry.