Sebastian Brant

Born in Strasbourg around 1457 or 1458, Sebastian Brant was a German humanist, jurist, and satirical poet. He studied and later taught in Basel, earning a doctorate in law, and became widely known for Das Narrenschiff (The Ship of Fools), published in 1494.

That book, a spirited moral satire about human vanity and folly, became one of the most successful German literary works of its time. Its mix of humor, criticism, and memorable scenes helped it reach a broad audience well beyond Brant's own lifetime.

Brant later returned to Strasbourg, where he served the city in an official legal role. Today he is remembered not only as a major satirist of the late 15th century, but also as a writer who stood at the meeting point of medieval moral teaching and Renaissance humanism.