Johannes Gutenberg of Mainz , Germany is acknowledged as the first to invent a metal movable - type printing system in Europe , the printing press . Gutenberg was a goldsmith familiar with techniques of cutting punches for making coins from moulds . Between 1436 and 1450 he developed hardware and techniques for casting letters from matrices using a device called the hand mould . Gutenberg 's key invention and contribution to movable - type printing in Europe , the hand mould , was the first practical means of making cheap copies of letterpunches in the vast quantities needed to print complete books , making the movable - type printing process a viable enterprise .

Question: who is often associated with printing the first book using moveable type in germany
Answer: Johannes Gutenberg