The volume provides the first detailed account of the history of the scholarly society Deutsche Gesellschaft in Leipzig from its beginnings (1697) to the new start (ca. 1730) under the chairmanship of Johann Christoph Gottsched. Major emphasis is placed on the hitherto neglected early years of the Gesellschaft , knowledge of which is essential for the understanding of the later development it underwent. Special reference is made to the literary works of the members and their biographies. A further central topic is the aims, background, and evolution of the reforms engineered by Gottsched within the society.