Commission for the Publication of the Medieval Library Catalogues of Germany and Switzerland

Medieval manuscripts are the most important carriers of the literary, religious and scholarly production of the Middle Ages and of the ancient and early Christian foundations of European learning. Extant manuscripts, however, represent only a fraction of what once existed and are very unevenly distributed. Therefore medieval library catalogues and similar documents are extremely valuable as an extra source of information. For countless places they provide a direct insight into the accessibility of education and intellectual training as well as the range and intensity of study; they illustrate different phases in the development of thought; and they help to solve problems of literary history. The collection and publication of such first-class sources is an indispensable step towards quantifying and evaluating the cultural significance of the medieval intellectual heritage.


Mönch mit einer Schreibtafel. Aus einer Handschrift des 12. Jahrhunderts

Monk with writing tablet. From a 12th century manuscript in the State Library, Bamberg.