Matina history

I've searched the Internet for Matina's history, but all I've found (including at Tatiana's) is that it's a German heirloom. Does anyone have more information? What's the earliest-known publication that mentions it?

Carolyn mentions it here as early as March 2006. That's the earliest written mention of it I've found here, so far. There's a DG review from 25 Jul 2005, and a seedling picture there dated 3 Apr 2005.

EDIT: I wanted to know because someone I know who is planning to grow it asked me if it was an heirloom, and I know not everyone has the same definition of an heirloom (so I was going to tell him how long it had been around, just in case he had a particular definition in mind).