10 October 2023 press release

The German National Library will be welcoming visitors to an "Open Day" in Frankfurt am Main on 12 November 2023. As part of its programme to mark the 111th anniversary of its foundation in Leipzig on 3 October 1912, the German National Library is inviting visitors to take a day trip to its location in Frankfurt am Main. Tickets for this bus excursion are being given away in a prize draw.

On the German National Library’s Open Day in Frankfurt am Main, guests wishing to take a look behind the scenes of a modern library can look forward to guided tours that will take in the whole building from the roof to the spacious underground stacks, the technical facilities, the computer centre and the art collection. There will also be guided tours, a creative activities and a rally for children and young people. You will be able to spend the whole day finding out about the world of digital media, gaining insights into collection preservation, the book digitisation process and the special collections, and exploring the worlds of work for trainees and experienced professionals. There will also be an introduction to the German Music Archive, and the exhibitions "Exile. Experience and Testimony" and "Just ask! – Digital interactive interviews with Inge Auerbacher and Kurt S. Maier" at the German Exile Archive 1933–1945 will be open and welcoming visitors.

A prize draw offering tickets for a full day bus excursion from Leipzig to Frankfurt for the Open Day is being held on the German National Library's website. Passengers will receive information about the history and tasks of the German National Library during the bus journey from Leipzig so that they are well prepared by the time they arrive in Frankfurt am Main. The winners can look forward to a programme that will include an exclusive guided tour by the Director.

The full programme and information about the prize draw are available at www.dnb.de/111jahre

Background

In 1912, the Kingdom of Saxony, the City of Leipzig and the Börsenverein der Deutschen Buchhändler zu Leipzig (German Book Traders’ Association of Leipzig) signed a contract for the foundation of the “Deutsche Bücherei”. The location in Frankfurt am Main was established in 1946 following the dividion of Germany. The reunification of Germany also saw the libraries in Leipzig and Frankfurt am Main merge into one. The two locations have since developed into a single modern institution that serves the whole country and has a crucial role to play in Germany’s cultural memory.

Since March 2023, the German National Library has been celebrating its foundation 111 years ago with stories and anecdotes, events and initiatives both on its premises and virtually on the web.

Images for editorial use

Press image material is only available in German.