Middle High German Literature - Transition To Renaissance Literature (1350 To 1500)

Transition To Renaissance Literature (1350 To 1500)

The Middle High German period is by convention taken to have ended in 1350. The period between 1350 and 1500 is one of transition between the Late Middle Ages and the Renaissance. In the German literature of the 15th century, medieval genres (such as the latest works of classical Minnesang) overlap with works of early Humanism, and by the end of the 15th century early popular literature in the form of the Volksbuch (Fortunatus, Till Eulenspiegel).

From the later 13th century, we see the rise of urban literature, which becomes the dominant force from the mid-14th century onwards. This urbanization and the introduction of printing in the 15th century are the main developments marking the very vague boundary between late medieval and early modern German literature. The first important urban author was the Viennese chronicler Jans der Enikel. Other poets include Hans Folz, Johannes von Tepl, and Sebastian Brant.