Reconstruction and Research of Late Medieval Convent Libraries in Lower Saxony

The Herzog August Library and the Center for Medieval and Early Modern Research (ZMF) at the University of Göttingen have established a cooperative project to conduct research libraries on the convents of Lower Saxony.

The Herzog August Library will contribute to the project by investigating the literary culture and educational background of the Augustinian choir women in Steterburg and Heiningen (both founded circa 1000 by aristocratic women) and Dorstadt (founded by a male founder in 1189). In the wake of the Reformation (1568) and of secularization, the convent libraries contained 87 partly illuminated Latin and Low German manuscripts, 82 of which belong to the Herzog August Library. In addition, there were an as yet undefined number of early prints. Current research methods promise a detailed evaluation of these library holdings, especially as the history of the libraries in all three foundations has not yet been researched. Our research focuses on teaching practices, scriptoria which may have existed and the repositories of codices. Furthermore, any other materials found in the library - whether convent-made tapestries with inscriptions or other textiles and objects of art - will be subjected to investigation. Our objective is to interlace the historical findings to create an overall multi-faceted picture which will then be published as a monograph and presented in an exhibition.

Over a period of four years (2008-2012), the project will research the contents of libraries in late medieval convents. The University of Göttingen will contribute to the project by conducting comparative research on the manuscripts, incunabula and early prints in the Cistercian nunneries in Wöltingerode, the Benedictine and Cistercian libraries in Helmstedt and the Augustinian library in Georgenberg near Goslar. Homepage of the project partner at the ZMF Göttingen.

Materials for the monasteries of interest

Funding: Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur

Researcher: PD Dr. Britta-Juliane Kruse
Reseach assistant: Kerstin Schnabel M.A.
Phone: +49(0)5331/808-147, Fax -165