Imagine documents dating back to the 9th century. These precious artifacts reside within the Universit\u00e4tsbibliothek Kassel. Today, we will delve into the history of this important library.
The Universit\u00e4tsbibliothek Kassel is more than just a repository of books. It represents centuries of collecting, preserving, and making knowledge accessible. The library resulted from merging three important collections in 1976. These collections were the Landesbibliothek, the Murhardsche Bibliothek der Stadt Kassel, and the Kassel University library. Each component brings a unique history and focus to the modern institution.
The Landesbibliothek began as the Kassel Court Library of the Landgraves of Hesse. It officially became a state library in 1831. Its original home was the Fridericianum. This was continental Europe’s first public museum. The Landesbibliothek specialized in history, philology, archaeology, art, geography, theology, and law. Landgraf Wilhelm IV founded it in 1580 for his scholarly pursuits. He wanted a “beautiful library adorned with books of all kinds”. The library celebrated its 425th anniversary in July 2005 with concerts and festivities.
The Murhardsche Bibliothek der Stadt Kassel served as the city’s second research library. The brothers Friedrich and Karl Murhard founded it in 1845. They were sons of an old Hessian merchant dynasty. This library focused on political science, economics, and pedagogy.
The Kassel University library formed the third component. The university itself was founded in 1970. These three collections merged in 1976 forming the Universit\u00e4tsbibliothek Kassel.
Tragedy struck during World War II. Aerial bombing by the British Royal Air Force on September 9, 1943 destroyed most of the library’s holdings. Around 7/8 of its 400,000 volumes were lost. Even books stored in safes were destroyed by the intense heat. Fortunately, the Zwehren Tower survived. It housed many of the manuscripts.
Today, the Universit\u00e4tsbibliothek Kassel stands as a beacon of knowledge. It holds significant treasures including the manuscript of the Hildebrandslied. This is a 9th-century German poem. The library also possesses an annotated copy of the Brothers Grimm’s fairy tales. This copy is part of the UNESCO Memory of the World register since 2005.
The Universit\u00e4tsbibliothek Kassel also holds the Lautenbuch der Elisabeth. Elisabeth was the daughter of Landgraf Moritz. The Lautenbuch is a fascinating document of musical life. It contains 187 pieces and exercises.
The library is also a Library of the State of Hessen. It has over 10,000 early medieval manuscripts. The library also boasts early prints from the Landgrafen’s personal collection. They were devoted to natural history, philosophy, astronomy, astrology, and alchemy.
As you leave the Universit\u00e4tsbibliothek Kassel, remember its long history. It is a story of dedication to scholarship. It is also a testament to the enduring power of knowledge.