History
It was only in 1912 when the the Deutsche Bücherei based in Leipzig was founded. The task of this first German national library was to collect, catalogue bibliographically and make available (free of charge) German and foreign-language literature published in Germany and German-language literature published abroad. Of those works printed before 1913, approximately one third cannot be found in any German library. Why is that so? - “Germany” simply didn’t exist as a political body in the modern sense of the word before 1871. On the political map of 18th-century Europe it resembled a patchwork of more than 300 sovereign territories, constituting as a whole the so-called Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. Under these circumstances, quite a number of libraries in the numerous German territories accumulated substantial collections, but none of them was ever charged with the task to act as the German national library [taken from A virtual National Library for Germany]. The Deutsche Bücherei flourishes in the following decades, but in 1933 it is made subordinate to the Reich Ministry for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda. NSDAP offices are introduced to monitor measures for enforced cultural and spiritual conformity. From 1937 so-called undesirable literature is listed and kept under lock in the Deutsche Bücherei. After the air raids on Leipzig and fire damage to the Deutsche Bücherei Leipzig, the building is closed for use from January 1944 onwards. Around 1.6 million books are removed. One year later the Deutsche Bücherei Leipzig is re-opened. With the division of Germany into four zones, the Deutsche Bücherei Leipzig loses its position as the sole central archive library. In the western zones of Germany, efforts to rebuild book trading and library institutions soon centre on Frankfurt/ Main. In 1946 the city of Frankfurt agrees to support the planned archive library with personnel and financial resources. The US military government gives its approval. The library is officially given the name Deutsche Bibliothek. There are now two libraries in Germany, which assume the duties and function of a national library for the later GDR and the Federal Republic of Germany. Two national bibliographic catalogues appear which are almost identical in content. In 1970 the Deutsche Musikarchiv is established in Berlin as a department of the Deutsche Bibliothek. Charge is taken of the collections of the German Musik-Phonothek and its activities are continued [taken from German National Library]. With the re-unification of Germany in October 1990 the Deutsche Bücherei Leipzig, the Deutsche Bibliothek Frankfurt/ Main and the Deutsche Musikarchiv Berlin have been unified under the name the Deutsche Bibliothek. On June 29th 2006 the "Law regarding the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek" came into force and the name was changed into Deutsche Nationalbibliothek (German National Library).[taken from European Library, Goethe Institute - The German National Library , Goethe Institute - Controversial Name Change]
After two years of construction the main building of the Deutsche Bücherei Leipzig was opened in 1916. The impressive facade is 160m long and displays the portraits of Otto von Bismarck, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Johannes Gutenberg. Statues represent Technology, Justice, Philosophy, Medicine etc.
Portal / Photo: Peter Franke, PUNCTUM
(Courtesy of German National Library)
The central reading room contains a picture by Ludwig von Hofmann (impressionist painter), depicting Arcadia (refers to a vision of harmony with nature) in Art Nouveau-style. The staircase contains a mural showing the founders of the German library [taken from Building in Leipzig].
Large reading room / Photo: Anne-Katrin Müller
(Courtesy of German National Library)
The German Book and Writing Museum has been collecting, storing and cataloguing valuable testimonies of book, writing and paper culture for roughly 125 years now. It is the oldest museum in the world in its field and the most important in terms of the quality and scope of its stocks (over one million objects). The museum is a research centre for the history of books and paper. It provides the general public with information on books through the exhibitions it stages and makes its stocks, including its library of books about books, available for study purposes in the reading room [taken from German National Library].
The Exile Collections contain printed works written or published abroad by German-speaking emigrants as well as leaflets, brochures and other materials produced entirely or in part by German-speaking exiles. The materials of the exile collections are available in the reading rooms. Special rules apply to the use of non-printed materials and materials by or about living persons. German exile journals and newspapers of the years 1933 to 1945 are sources of great interest. The project “Exilpresse digital” provides free global access to these materials via the Internet [taken from German National Library].
Anne Frank Shoah Library Leipzig
The “Anne Frank Shoah Library” is an international research library for the documentation of the Holocaust. Its objective is to collect, index and make available literature from all over the world on the persecution of the Jews under the regime of National Socialism in Germany and making it available to interested users. The collection also comprises publications on the persecution of other minorities - documents about people persecuted on the basis of ethnic, political, religious, medical and other motivations.
The “Anne Frank Shoah Library” makes a significant contribution to the dissemination of literature on the Holocaust in keeping with its self-imposed obligation to serve as a living memorial library.
It is unlikely that an exhaustive collection of all publications related to the Shoah (Hebrew for "catastrophe" or "annihilation") can be compiled in the foreseeable future. Thus the library also focuses its efforts on the evaluation of bibliographies and numerous other source materials.
The collection of the “Anne Frank Shoah Library” currently comprises about 12,000 books, periodicals, audio-visual media, maps and other materials available for use in the special reading room. The collection as well as the about 22,000 bibliographic citations are catalogued alphabetically and by subject in a database [taken from German National Library].
As mentioned in my first chapter the “German National Library” as an institution has been split as Germany’s history between 1945 and 1989. The Unification Treaty in 1990 allowed the two houses in Leipzig and Frankfurt/ Main to pursue their statutory duties jointly. Each site was transferred to focus on specific functions.
The Frankfurt site of the German National Library is responsible for the development of information and communication technology, including development and management of the central database. It handles the production, marketing and distribution of national bibliographic services. In addition every book and magazine published in the German language, including those from Switzerland and Austria, can be found in Frankfurt, along with a special collection of German writings in exile (1933-1945).
In 1997 the “Deutsche Bibliothek” in Frankfurt/ Main moved into its new (current) building. The Frankfurt library is designed to hold up to 18 million publications, and meet needs up to 2040 [taken from German National Library].
General view Adickesallee (brick sculpture of Per Kirkeby) /
Photo: Stephan Jockel (Courtesy of German National Library)
German National Library Berlin
The “German Music Archive” in Berlin is the central collection of sheet music and sound recordings in Germany and serves as the centre of bibliographic information on music and recordings issued in Germany. It was founded in 1970 and is attached to the “German National Library” as a third location. It continues the work of the German “Musik-Phonothek” (music library) which existed from 1961 - 1969.
Publishers of printed and recorded music in Germany are required by law (since 1973) to deliver two copies of every edition to the archive. One copy is kept at the ”German Music Archive” in Berlin, the second is deposited in the music collection of the “German National Library” in Leipzig for archiving and use.
The focus of the “German Music Archive” is the legally defined collection of sound recordings since 1970 and sheet music since 1973. The sound recording collection, featuring audio media including shellac discs, phonograph cylinders and piano rolls, dates to the origins of sound recording production in the nineteenth century. The material is from collectors' estates and purchases.
With the acquisition of the “Music Information Centre of the association of composers and musical scholars of the GDR” in 1991 sound recording tapes, notes and working card files are available documenting the musical life and production of the former GDR in the area of serious music.
The ”Society for Musical Performing and Mechanical Reproduction Rights” designated the “German Music Archive” as the home for its music collection in July 2000. The entire inventory - comprising 210,000 pieces of music - was assigned to the “German Music Archive”. The holdings of the “German Music Archive” can be used on-site.
The “German Music Archive” is located in one of the Siemens Family’s villas and can be seen below.
Garden view / Photo: Ingo Kolasa,
(Courtesy of German National Library)
The collection of historical players at the “German Music Archive” gives an overview over the most important technologies in the history of sound carriers. All appliances are restored and ready for use; they offer the possibility to see and hear how certain sound carriers were played and how they sounded [taken from German National Library].
Historical players / Photo: Ingo Kolasa
(Courtesy of German National Library)
Outlook – Extension of the German National Library in Leipzig
The “German National Library” held a total of around 24.7 million media units at the end of 2008, growing by a further 1300 units every day at its Leipzig and Frankfurt locations. This represents a daily space requirement of roughly 24 metres of shelf space. In Leipzig alone roughly 14.5 million media units are stored. The magazines in the library building and in the "book tower" are fully utilized and alternative magazines have had to be rented.
The task of planning the fourth extension of the “German National Library” was set in a Europe-wide architecture competition; the first prize went to the design of a Stuttgart architect. The Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media made 50 million euros available for the extension.
Through the new building about 14 000 square meters of space will be available, most of which the magazines claim. There are also plans for the permanent collection and the temporary exhibitions of the „German Book and Writing Museum“. The extension will also allow the relocation of the „German Music Archive“ from Berlin to Leipzig where new function and reading rooms will be part of the rebuilding. A recording studio and listening booths will also be set up. Thus the musical culture in Leipzig will receive a major boost.
Work on the extension started in late summer 2007 and is scheduled for completion and start of operation by the end of 2010 [taken from German National Library].
