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My Grimm - book sponsors wanted

Contribute to the preservation of the private library of the famous fairy-tale collectors


The private library of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, the famous fairy-tale collectors and dictionary writers, is one of the greatest treasures Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin possesses. In the last two decades of their lives, the Grimm Brothers worked in Berlin as linguists, professors and folklorists. During that time, they had built up one of the most important private liberal arts libraries of the 19th century.


After their deaths, this private library passed into the possession of the University of Berlin in 1865. The stock of over 6,000 volumes is now housed in the research reading room of the Jacob-und-Wilhelm-Grimm-Zentrum, the central library of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.

The books, however, have not come through the years of war unscathed; and over 100 years of heavy usage made them time-worn. Extensive restoration work is unavoidable in order to repair the damages. During the process of restoration, the books will also be digitized and thus made accessible to the public in the near future.

Book sponsors wanted

To preserve this unique cultural heritage, Humboldt-Universität seeks sponsors who would like to support the restoration and digitization financially and in this way contribute to the preservation of one of the most important private libraries.

A list of books, which urgently need to be restored, is available online. Personal asides, references and biographical notes by the two Grimm Brothers as well as dedications by the authors make each copy the only one of its kind.

Further Information

For details on “My Grimm” please visit:
http://www.hu-berlin.de/foerdern/was/kampagnen/meingrimm

 

Contact

Mariana Bulaty
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Office of Public Relations, Marketing & Fundraising
Unter den Linden 6
10099 Berlin
Phone: + 49 30 2093-2147
Email: fundraising@hu-berlin.de