3 May 2022 Press release

On 7 May, the German Museum of Books and Writing at the German National Library will be holding an auction of original graphic sheets as part of Leipzig’s Museum Night. The proceeds will be donated to aid organisations providing support for Ukraine. A handful of illustrious representatives of Germany’s comic art and illustration scene, who recently collaborated with the Museum on the exhibition “A friendship in correspondence. Axel Scheffler’s fantastical letter illustrations”, have generously agreed to donate original graphic sheets for the auction; they include Rotraut Susanne Berner, Axel Scheffler, Papan, Thomas M. Müller, Volker Pfüller, Yvonne Kuschel, Anke Kuhl, Philipp Wächter and Moni Port.

The auction of the graphic appeal for peace on the evening of 7 May is intended to send a small message for Europe. At the same time, the auction illustrates the many different ways in which support is being provided for Ukrainian war refugees and how cultural institutions can also send signals to Ukraine. Museum director Stephanie Jacobs had the following to say about the motivation behind the auction: “This event builds on the surprisingly successful auction of a drawing by Axel Scheffler (“The Gruffalo”), which brought in a considerable sum for Ukraine aid at the opening of the exhibition ‘A friendship in correspondence’ in the middle of March (https://blog.dnb.de/brief-fuer-ukraine). We hope that we will see more exciting duels between bidders, with the proceeds to go to the Ukraine aid organisations.”

The graphics auction is one in a small series of activities being organised by the German National Library for Ukraine aid. As a memory institution, we too have spent recent weeks thinking about how we can support Ukrainian war refugees. What, for example, can we as a library, a museum and an archive do to help our Ukrainian colleagues who are trying to do their work despite the fear of war, the adverse circumstances in which they find themselves, the danger to their lives in Ukraine? And secondly, where does our responsibility lie here in Leipzig, in Frankfurt am Main?

Firstly, the German National Library is a key partner in the Network for the Protection of Ukrainian Cultural Heritaget, which is providing support for libraries in Ukraine, e.g. by supplying materials and equipment designed to protect the country’s cultural heritage from military attack. Secondly, the German National Library is granting fellowships for librarians and helping cultural professionals apply for support services. We are also helping those who have found emergency accommodation in the tent directly opposite the German National Library in Leipzig. A dedicated group of staff is for example organising events for children and adolescents based on the educational programme offered by the German Museum of Books and Writing. The German National Library is sending a clear message to society by releasing all staff involved in refugee aid for two hours a week.

Pictures for Ukraine, for Europe. Auction: 7 May, from 21:30

Images of graphics and further information https://blog.dnb.de/bilder-fuer-ukraine
Written bids: to be sent by e-mail to dbsm-info@dnb.de by 18:00 on 7 May (please tell us which drawing you are bidding for, the amount you wish to bid and your address)

Background

The book has shaped our culture and civilisation like no other medium. For centuries our knowledge about the world and its peoples has been stored in books. The task of the German National Library’s German Museum of Books and Writing is to collect, exhibit and process evidence of book and media history. Founded in 1884 in Leipzig as the Deutsches Buchgewerbemuseum (German Book Trade Museum), it is the oldest museum in the world in the field of book culture, and also one of the most important with regard to the scope and quality of its holdings.
The Museum also pays close attention to questions relating to the future of media in our networked societies.

Contact

Images for editorial use

Press image material is only available in German.