25 June 2020 press release

"House of Europe. Europäische Zeugnisse in der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek"
Publication by the German National Library commemorating Germany’s presidency of the Council of the European Union

The German National Library is commemorating Germany’s presidency of the Council of the European Union, which begins on 1 July 2020, by publishing a work that explores the countless marks which Europe has left on the collections of Germany’s central archive library. Titled “House of Europe. Europäische Zeugnisse in der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek” (European Artefacts at the German National Library), the nation’s written and musical memory pays homage to the continent and proves that German culture has always been European. From Charlemagne and Karel Gott to cuisine, Germany has felt the benefit of cultural exchange since time immemorial, as Federal Government Commissioner for Cultural and the Media Monika Grütters emphasises in her foreword. It is no accident that the subject of Europe plays a significant part in the coalition agreement.

Conceived as a “fishing expedition” through the German National Library's 40 million media units, the book contains 183 images, one for each day of Germany’s presidency of the EU Council. It showcases a wide range of European topics: travel and borders, neighbourliness, myth and power, and also war and peace. The lavishly illustrated book shows that the DNB can also create visual, narrative access to its collections as well as providing access through bibliographic and authority data.
The visual cosmos of Europe with the interwoven narratives are complemented by short essays written by Aleida Assmann, Alberto Manguel, Yasmine Ouirhane, Simon Strauss and others, who grant surprising, at times deeply personal insights into the continent's past and present.

The book aims to focus attention on the European character and international horizons of the nation's memory. According to Frank Scholze, Director General of the German National Library, “This is because our collections, which strive to be comprehensive and objective, by no means limit themselves to mere nationalistic ‘navel-gazing’, but instead – on closer inspection – prove to be a thoroughly European archive.”

In this context, Europe is understood not only as a geographical region or a politico-economic constellation, but also as the vision of a community of values, as “an idea,” says editor Stephanie Jacobs, “which now more than ever can be interpreted in social discourse as a cultural-political mission – truly in keeping with the etymological meaning of the word ‘Europe’ as the ‘far-sighted one’. A look at Europe’s past and present encourages us to work together for the future of our continent.” Boldness is – and always has been – essential: from the audacity of the bull that abducted Europa, as told in the ancient myth of the continent's foundation, to the present-day challenge of actively advocating supranational cohesion despite increasing resistance. And both of these – myth and challenge – look out at us from the cover of the book.

With the publication “House of Europe”, the DNB is marking the start of the second half of this eventful year. The German National Library is planning a whole series of activities, many of them digital, in connection with Germany's EU Council presidency. These will include virtual conferences and an exhibition. The events started in spring with the film series “Reading EUROPE”: actors read texts about Europe in the deserted reading rooms of the DNB in Leipzig and Frankfurt am Main. (www.dnb.de/readingeurope)

House of Europe. Europäische Zeugnisse in der Deutschen Nationalbibliothel
Edited by Stephanie Jacobs for the German National Library
Design: Torsten Köchlin, Joana Katte
320 pages, 183 illustrations
Hatje Cantz Verlag, Berlin, 2020
ISBN 978­3­7757­4745­5
URN urn:nbn:de:101-2020052809
available for order from publikationen@dnb.de
Available: 1 July 2020

Background

Over the last 100 years or more, the German National Library has been collecting, documenting and archiving all texts and sound recordings published in Germany and the German language since 1913 and making them available for public use. The DNB offers a comprehensive range of services at its site in Leipzig and Frankfurt am Main and globally in digital format. The German National Library also holds a wealth of valuable special collections in the German Exile Archive 1933–1945 and the German Museum of Books and Writing.

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Image material

Images for editorial use together with a review of the book