The Koordinierungsstelle für die Erhaltung des schriftlichen Kulturguts (KEK) approves Funding for the Institute‘s Library
Susanne Küther, Joshua Spies
On the 15th of August, the project “Sicherung und Erhaltung des Bestandes Hebraica I am Institut für die Geschichte der deutschen Juden“ was approved by the Koordinierungsstelle für die Erhaltung des schriftlichen Kulturguts (KEK). The project is cofinanced by the Beauftragten der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien (BKM) and by special funds from the State of Hamburg for preservation of written cultural heritage. It is dedicated to the conservation of part of the Hebraica collection in the Institute’s library.
The predominantly religious works written in Hebrew are of great cultural and historical importance to the IGdJ, especially as they are rarely found in other libraries. The collection also reveals the forcefully changed provenance in the context of Nazi persecution in Europe and bears witness to former Jewish institutions and the private holdings of Jewish collectors. The collection is of tremendous value for research and teaching, as well as in a high level also of public interest.
The measures of this project concentrate on small-format objects, published in the period from the 16th century to the end of the 1940s. There are 1,025 objects that can now receive the necessary treatment. A company specialized on conservation measures will carry out the following work: on the one hand, a smooth dry cleaning, which will focus primarily on the book covers, and on the other hand, the inspection and documentation of any damage in order to be able to initiate further necessary conservatory measures.
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