The commentary on the Rosicrucian Manifestos (Trajano Boccalini’s ›Generalreformation‹ of 1614, the ›Fama Fraternitatis‹ of 1614, the ›Confessio Fraternitatis‹ of 1615) and the ›Chymische Hochzeit Christiani Rosencreütz‹ (1616) by Johann Valentin Andreae presents the genesis of these texts and places them in the historical, political, confessional and literary context of the time. References to Andreae’s other writings are discussed in detail. Special emphasis is placed on the reception history, which traces the spiritualistic and later esoteric appropriation of these texts, as it already began immediately after their publication.