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- Title
Der Riesencodex der Hildegard von Bingen.
- Authors
Böhringer, Letha
- Abstract
The article describes the history of the Giant Codex of Hildegard von Bingen, an ancient manuscript that was evacuated during World War II and later found in Dresden. The codex contains almost all of Hildegard von Bingen's works and has an impressive format. After the war, the codex was secretly smuggled out of the Soviet Occupation Zone (SBZ) and eventually returned to Wiesbaden. There was also a substitute object to delay the return to Dresden. The story is described in detail, including the people involved and their plans. The article tells the story of Margarete Kühn, a librarian who stole a valuable medieval codex from the library. Although she could have been charged with embezzlement and breach of custody, no investigations were initiated against her. Kühn claimed that she accidentally took the codex to protect it from the Stalinist authorities. The new head of the library, Fritz Rörig, supported her version of the story and managed to keep the codex in Wiesbaden. However, the author of the article questions Rörig's role and criticizes him for pressuring Kühn. Nevertheless, Kühn is portrayed as a religious and sympathetic person who considers the codex a relic. It is also mentioned that the codex was later returned to its owners, but the exact fate of the incunabulum is unknown. The article also describes the opulent decoration of the codex and the financial support received for the publication of the book.
- Subjects
DRESDEN (Germany); WIESBADEN (Germany); DER Riesencodex der Hildegard von Bingen: Verschollen - Gefunden - Gerettet: Schicksalswege 1942 bis 1950 (Book); HILDEGARD, Saint, 1098-1179; HEINEMANN, Christiane; MANUSCRIPTS; NONBOOK materials; EMBEZZLEMENT; NONFICTION; STORYTELLING; SMUGGLING; LIBRARIANS; WORLD War II
- Publication
Rheinische Vierteljahrsblatter, 2023, Vol 87, p264
- ISSN
0035-4473
- Publication type
Book Review