Julius Wilhelm Zincgref (1591?1635), the Heidelberg jurist, is considered in his century tohave beena master of the short literary form intended for edification purposes. The two-volume collection of his sayings, Der Teutschen scharpfsinnige kluge Sprüch [Wise and Witty German Sayings], published in 1626 and 1631, was particularly outstanding and influential. This is the first critical edition of this history and memorial book which was written in the spirit of a humanistic ‘light’ version of Calvinism. The accompanying commentary volume elucidates the factual content, origin and reception of the brief narratives and paratexts.