The Wiedmann Bible

The idea of translating Bible verses into images was initiated in 1984, when Willy Wiedmann was assigned to redecorate the interior of the Pauluskirche in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen/Germany.^[3][4] He always wanted to simplify and engage more people with the Bible. He finished his works in 2000. Due to the lack of technology, Wiedmann was not able to find a printery which had the prerequisites to publish the concertina book. Eventually he stored the Bible in his gallery's attic, including essays about his works, where it fell into oblivion.^[5] It was only after his death that his son discovered the four containers. He had all 3,333 images scanned and digitalised.^[1]

In 2017 the Swiss light show artist Gerry Hofstetter featured the Wiedmann Bible's images during his performances in which he illuminated the Grossmuenster in Zurich and monuments in each US state.^[6][7]

Since its discovery in 2013, the original Wiedmann Bible has only been exhibited a few times. In 2015 it premiered in June at the German Evangelical Church Assembly (Deutscher Evangelischer Kirchentag) in Stuttgart, Germany.^[8][9] From November 27, 2016 through February 5, 2017 it was on display at the Weygang-Museum in Öhringen, Germany.^[10] The Wiedmann Bible is showcased in an exhibit at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. from October 27, 2018 through April 28, 2019.^[11]

In 2017 the Wiedmann Bible already participated in two of the Museum of the Bible's exhibition "Our Book" in Germany from April 7 through May 13 in Augsburg and from May 22 through September 10 in Wittenberg.^[12][13] Both events were curated by the German linguist and theologian Roland Werner from Marburg and organised in cooperation with local partners.

On May 7 a facsimile of the artwork was completely unfolded for the first time at a length of 1517m (almost 1 mile). Occasion for the event was the celebration of the 500th Protestant Reformation anniversary in Magdeburg. At the same time a world record was set.^[14][15][16] In December 2017 the Wiedmann Bible was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest concertina folder with a size of 645.2 m² (6944 ft² 121 in²).^[17] Until August 2018 when the record was broken.^[18]

• 
  Gen 28 – Jacob's Ladder
• 
  Is 26–27 – Song of Praise
• 
  Rev 12:3 – Seven-headed Beast

In February 2018 the Wiedmann Bible was published as a book print for the very first time in collaboration with the German Bible Society.^[19][20] The ART-Edition is limited to 3,333 volumes and complemented by verses from the revised Luther Bible 2017.^[21][22] ART-Editions were taken into the collection of the Gutenberg-Museum in Mainz,^[23] Bavarian State Library in Munich,^[24] the Duchess Anna Amalia Library in Weimar,^[25] the Saxony's Main Bible Society in Dresden,^[26] the bibliorama - Bible Museum^[27] as well as the municipal archives in Stuttgart,^[28] and the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C.^[29][30][31]