The commentary on the Rosicrucian Manifestos (Trajano Boccalinis 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 Andreaes 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.