Johann georg faust biography

1587 chapbook about Johann Georg Faust

For the opera with the same name, see Historia von D. Johann Fausten (opera).

Historia von D.

Johann Fausten, the first "Faust book", is a chapbook of stories concerning the life of Johann Georg Faust, written by an anonymous German author. It was published by Johann Spies (1540–1623) in Frankfurt am Main in 1587, and became the main source for the play The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe and Goethe's closet playFaust, and also served as the libretto of the opera by Alfred Schnittke, also entitled Historia von D.

Johann Fausten.

The Faust Book seems to have been written during the latter half of the sixteenth century (1568–81 or shortly thereafter). It comes down to us in manuscript from a professional scribe in Nuremberg and also as a 1587 imprint from the prominent Frankfurt publishing house of Johann Spies.

The better-known version is the Spies imprint of 15