ProQuest - Rare Manuscripts Catalog | Subject Catalog (PDF)

Research Collections
German
The Medieval Manuscripts from the Anhalt Regional Library Dessau *
The Anhalt regional Library can look back at an eventful history: opened back in February 1922 as Anhaltische
Landesbucherei, it‘s holdings based on the Ducal Administrative Library founded between 1876 and 1878. During the
1920‘s, several additional collections found their way into the Anhalt Regional Library, part of which wre the Ducal
Court Library and Georg‘s Library. During world War II the library was struck hard by a major damage: about 90
percent of its holdings were lost. Thanks to intensive exchange deals after 1945 - for example with the Berlin, the
Gotha and the Halle Libraries - the library‘s inventory increased again. In 1959, the library was integrated to the Halle
University and Regional Library. A few year later it was united with the Dessau City Library and eventually, in 1991,
the library received it‘s original name: Anhaltische Landesbucherei. Today its collection numbers 111,000 volumes,
10,000 of which are old holdings. The thematic spectrum reaches from theology, law, art, poetry, music and medicine
to the natural sciences. Among today‘s manuscript holdings from the Anhalt Regional Library, the Georg‘s Library is
the largest. The most valuable manuscripts mainly belong to this library.
Germany; In Latin, German, Hebrew, Italian, and French
462 fiche
Die Georgsbibliothek (George III Library) *
Georg III (1506-1553) was dean of the cathedral in Magdeburg and later evangelic bishop in
Merseburg. Among his friends were Martin Luither and Melanchthon. Georg‘s mother, Margarete
von Münsterberg (1473-1530) and other members of the family helped increasing his library. In 1926,
the state of Anhalt decided to buy the collection for the Anhalt Regional Library. Today, Georg‘s
Library contains about 500 volumes (1,800 titles). Some of them are richly illustrated manuscripts,
incunabula and early paintings. It also records writings by Reformers such as Luther, Melanchthon,
Zqingli, Calvin and Hutten, as well as by anti-Reformers such as Johannes Eck and Cochlaüs. In
addition to that, there are also classical writers, works by humanists (for example Erasmus) and many
more. Beginning in 1528, Georg even started collecting Hebrew writings.
Germany
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Die Herzogliche Behördenbibliothek (Ducal Administrative
Library), 1568-1900 *
It unites several collections from Bernburg and Dessau; the most important one being the Bernburg
Library of the Princes Christian I (1599-1656). This collection reached its peak back in the early 18 th
century: in 1715 it numbered 2,335 titles. Also integrated into the Herzogliche Behördenbibliothek
were: the Arnstadt and Sonderhausen Library; the library of the convent Gerode, the library of the
Fürstlich Anhaltische Deutsche Gessellscahft (Anhalt‘s Princel yGerman Association), the collections
from the Mining Department Harzgerode, the Medicinal Libraries Bernburg and the Anhalt
Collection owned by the pastor and historian Theodor Elze (1823-1900), A number of institutions,
such as the Office for Statistics, the Office for Agriculture and the Princely Amalienstiftung, also
donated their holdings to the Anhalt Regional Library.
Germany
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Die Herzogliche Hofbibliothek (Ducal Court Library), 1567-
1889 *
Opened in 1820 as a public library, it housed the libraries of various castles in Dessau and its
surrounding areas. The oldest collection is the one established by Johann Georg I (1567-1618), which
was later continued by his daughter, Eva Katharina (1613-1679). Also worth mentioning is the library
of Prince Friedrich Franz von Wörlitz. In addition to that, the following libraries were also included:
the library of the architect Friedrich Wilhelm von Erdmannsdorff (1736-1800), the collections of both
the elementary school and the Philanthropinum, as well as several other private collections such as
one formerly owned by the Russian librarian von Schardius or the astronomer Schwabe. In 1898 the
collection of Prussian diplomat Hermann von Thiele (1812-1889), which focused on history and
literature, also found its way into the Anhalt Regional Library.
Germany
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