MEMORY OF THE WORLD REGISTER
NOMINATION FORM
Denmark - Treasures from the Royal Library - National Collections

PART A - ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

  1. Identity and Location
  2. Legal Information
  3. Identification
  4. Management plan
  5. Assessment against the Selection Criteria
  6. Consultation
  7. Nominator
PART B - SUBSIDIARY INFORMATION
  1. Assessment of Risk
  2. Preservation Assessment

PART A - ESSENTIAL INFORMATION
 

1. Identity and Location

1.1. Name of documentary heritage

Treasures from the Royal Library

National Collections

1.2. Country: Denmark

1.3. State, province or region: not communicated

1.4. Address

Det kongelige Bibliotek

P.O. Box 2149

DK-1016 Copenhagen K., Denmark

http: //www.kb.dk
 

2. Legal information

2.1. Owner

The Royal Library (Ministry of Culture)

Director General: Mr. Erland Kolding Nielsen

P.O. Box 2149

DK-1016 Copenhagen K., Denmark

2.2. Custodian: Heads of Collections

2.3. Legal status

a) category of ownership: Public property

b) details of legal and adm. provisions for the preservation of the documentary heritage

Det kongelige Bibliotek, Dpt. of Preservation

c) accessibility: Public access

d) copyright status: Det kongelige Bibliotek, cf. Lov om Ophavsret af 14. juni 1995, Danish copyright law.

2.4. Responsible administration

- Rare, valuable and fragile parts of collections are placed in air-conditioned safety vaults (increased storage capacity as of 1998)

- Valuable objects from Special Collections are currently security-filmed according to management plan
 

3. Identification

3.1. Description and inventory : not communicated

3.2. Bibliographic/Registration details

a. Manuscripts and letters to/from Hans Christian Andersen from/to:

Collin, Ny kgl. Samling, Holger Laage-Petersen, Arne Portman

b. The Søren Kierkegaard Archives - Manuscripts, drafts, personal papers, letters

c. The Dalby Book

A Latin Gospel Book written in Scania ca. 1060, with four full page pictures of the Evangelists. Gl. kgl. S. 1325, 4to. Parchment 21,5 x 15,2 cm, 285 fol.

d. The Inca Chronicle

Guaman Poma's hand-written chronicle, containing ca. 400 illustrations, Guaman Poma de Ayala: El Primer Nueva Corónica y Buen Gobierno. The Inca Chronicle, written in Peru ca. 1610 Gl. kgl. S. 2232, 4to. Paper 21,7 x 14,7 cm, 1200 fol.

e. The Angers-fragment

consists of 4 folios, the only remaining parts of a manuscript containing the text of Denmark's first national Chronicle, the Gesta Danorum, written by Saxo Grammaticus around 1200. Ny kgl. S. 869, 4to. Parchment 21,6 x 16,1 cm

f. Maps of the Polar Region

The Resen map of Polar Regions

Indicatio Gronlandie vicinarum regionum versus ... H.P.Resen 1605. 4100-0-1605/1. 562 x 763 mm. Manuscript map.

The Hans Egede map of Southern Greenland

Nova Delineatio Grønlandiæ Antiqvæ hvis Wester Siide 1723 og 1724 ...

d. 4. Ianuarij 1737. 4100-0-1737/1. 283 x 450 mm. Manuscript map.

The Høeg Hagen map of Northeast Greenland

Niels Peter Høeg Hagens 6 manuscript maps. Danmarks Fjord and Indepence Fjord ... 1907. 4100.271-0-1907/1-2a. 3 maps 341 x 210 and 3 maps 418 x 341.

3.3. Visual documentation

a. Opening from Hans Christian Andersen's Diary from a travel in Germany 1831

b. Letter to Søren Kierkegaard's fiancee, Regine Olsen, 1840, with a portrait of the artist

c. A page from the Dalby Book

d. A page from the Inca Chronicle

e. The Angers-fragment

f. The Resen map of Polar Regions 1605.

The Hans Egede map of Southern Greenland 1737.

Detail of the Høeg Hagen map of Northeast Greenland 1907.

3.4. History (general)

The Royal Library was founded in 1653 and comprises the National Library of Denmark, the Copenhagen University Library in the fields of theology, the humanities, social sciences and law, as well as the Danish Museum of Books and Printing and the National Museum of Photography. In 1989, the Royal Library was merged with Department 1 of the University Library (founded in 1482). Open for public use since 1793.

The main emphasis in the older foreign collections is on the historical subjects, and the 17th and 18th century collections are generally regarded as among the richest in Europe.

As the National Library of Denmark the Royal Library has a special position with regard to the Danish collections. The various arrangements, which since 1697 have directed all publishers or printers to deliver a number of copies of all printed publications to the Royal Library and the former University Library, have resulted in the Royal Library becoming the owner of the most complete collection of books published in Denmark and of foreign books about Denmark. Likewise, the Library's Manuscript Department holds Denmark's largest collection of literary archives and private archives within the arts, incl. music, and culture.

see also: http://www.kb.dk

History (special)

ad a. The Hans Christian Andersen-collections are the result of systematic collecting on several levels. The material in Ny kongelig Samling is based on the current acquisition of the Library. The Collin manuscript-collection was donated in 1905 and the Holger Laage Petersen collection in 1954. The Arne Portman-collection was purchased in 1969.

ad b. Kierkegaard was very careful in preserving almost every note that he had written. After his death, his papers were brought from his flat to his brother, the Bishop of Aalborg. Later they were given to the University Library in Copenhagen, and finally transferred to the Royal Library after the Second World War.

ad c. In the Middle Ages the book belonged to the Augustinian convent of Dalby in Scania, then part of Denmark. it was acquired by the Royal Library before 1785.

ad d. The manuscript was acquired by the Royal Library before 1785.

ad e. The Angers-fragment was found in 1866 in the binding of a book from the 15th century in Bibliothèque Publique of Angers. It was acquired by the Royal Library in 1879 (by exchange of a manuscript of French origin)

3.5. Bibliography (general)

- Historiske Efterretninger om det store kongelige Bibliotek i Kiøbenhavn / E.C. Werlauff. 2nd rev. ed. 1844. x, 432 pp. [The major source for the history of the Library up to 1844]
- Dansk Bibliotekslitteratur. Bidrag til en bibliografi / E. Allerslev Jensen & Torben Nielsen. Cph. 1950
- Kilder og litteratur til Det kongelige Biblioteks historie trykt 1844-1992 / Harald Ilsøe. 2nd rev. ed. Cph. 1993. [Bibliography covering publications on the history of the Library printed 1844-1992]
- On Parchment, Paper and Palm Leaves ... Treasures of The Royal Library, Denmark /Harald Ilsøe. 1993. 364 pp. [Selected bibliography p. 345-348]
- Information Brochures 1990- [Brief introductions to the departments, collections and functions of the Library]

see also: http://www.kb.dk

Bibliography (special)

- The Royal Library Binding Section, Preservation and Restoration Workshop /By Knud Erik Larsen, Per M. Laursen and Erik Løvborg. 1992. 47 pp.

ad a.
- Katalog over danske og norske Digteres Originalmanuskripter i Det kongelige Bibliotek
/ ved Lauritz Nielsen. 1943. XXXVIII, 383 pp.
- Den collinske Manuskriptsamling/ by Carl S. Petersen. BOGVENNEN 1930. Offprint
- Den Laage-Petersenske H. C. Andersensamling / by Erik Dal. In: FUND & FORSKNING II, 1955, p. 59-74

ad b.
- Søren Kierkegaards Papirer / ed. by Niels Thulstrup. 2nd ed. Vol. 1-16. Cph. 1968-1978. 25 vols.
- Skriftbilleder. Søren Kierkegaards journaler, notesbøger, hæfter, ark, lapper og strimler / by N. J. Cappelørn et al. Cph. 1996. 178 pp. - ill.

ad c.
- Greek and Latin Illuminated Manuscripts, X-XIII Centuries, in Danish Collections
/ by M. Mackeprang, V. Madsen & C.S. Petersen. Cph., London, Oxford 1921.
- Catalogus codicum latinorum mediii ævi Bibliothecæ Regiæ Hafniensis / by Ellen Jørgensen. Hafniæ 1926
- Illuminatio. Texts and Illustrations of the Bible in Medieval Manuscripts in the Royal Library, Copenhagen / by Erik Petersen. In: TRANSACTIONS OF THE XVth CONGRESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BIBLIOPHILES (Copenhagen 1987). Cph. 1992, p. 90f

ad d.
- Letter to a King. A Picture-History of the Inca Civilisation by Huamán Poma / ed. C. Dilke. London 1978
- Escritura y censura en el nuevo mundo / by Felipe Guaman Poma. Santiago, Chile 1993 (with bibliography)

ad e.
- The Angers Fragment and the Archetype of Gesta Danorum / by Ivan Boserup.
In: Saxo Grammaticus. A Medieval Author Between Norse and Latin Culture / ed. Karsten Friis-Jensen. Cph. 1981, p. 9-26.
- Catalogus codicum latinorum medii ævi Bibliothecæ Regiæ Hafniensis
/ by Ellen Jørgensen. Hafniæ 1926, p. 403f.
- Danmarks Middelalderlige Håndskrifter. En sammenfattende boghistorisk Oversigt
/by Lauritz Nielsen. Cph. 1937, p. 58ff.
- Saxonis Gesta Danorum / eds. J. Olrik & H. Ræder, tom I, Hauniæ 1931, p. XIIIff.

ad f.
- Nord i tåkeheimen: utforskningen av jordens nordlige strøk i tidlige tider / By Fridtjof Nansen. Kria., 1911. VII, 603 pp. - ill.
- Groenlandia / Peder Hansen Resen / Ed. by J. Kisbye Møller. Charlottenlund: Det Grønlandske Selskab, 1987. 189 pp. - ill.
- Det gamle Grønlands nye Perlustration, eller: En kort Beskrivelse om de gamle Nordske Coloniers Begyndelse og Undergang i Grønland, Grønlands Situation, Luft og Temperament og dets itsige Indbyggeres Klædedragt, Handtæring, Spise, Sprog,
Ægteskab og andre saavel i Samqvem som i egne Huuse nu brugelige Sæder / by Hans Egede. Cph. 1729.
- Kort Beretning om den Grønlandske Missions Beskaffenhed / by Hans Egede.Cph. [1737?]
- Hans Egede and the Frobisher Strait / by Ib Rønne Kejlbo. In: GEOGRAFISK TIDSSKRIFT 70, 1971, p. 59-139
- Nova Delineatio Grønlandiæ Antiqve. Et hidtil ukendt Hans Egede kort / by Ib Rønne Kejlbo. In: FUND & FORSKNING XXI, 1974, p. 47-70
- Danmark-Ekspeditionen til Grønlands Nordostkyst / by Achton Friis. Illustrations by Aage Bertelsen and Achton Friis. Kbh. 1909. V!, 670 pp. 9 plates - ill.- 2nd ed. Cph. 1987. 431 pp. - ill.
- Mindeblade om Danmark-Ekspeditionen 1906-08 / ed. by Fritz W. Bistrup et al.
Charlottenlund: Det grønlandske Selskab, 1983. 125 pp. - ill.
- Omkom 79 ' fjorden: tragedien på Danmark-ekspeditionen 1906-08 / by Vagn Lundby. Illustrations by Poul Gernes. Cph. 1984. 203 pp., V!!! plates - ill. map

3.6. Names, qualifications and contact details of independent people or organization with expert knowledge about the values and provenance of the documentary heritage

ad a. Dr. phil. Erik Dal

Forchhammersvej 1

DK - 1920 Frederiksberg C, Denmark

ad b. Niels Jørgen Cappelørn, Director of Research

Søren Kierkegaard Forskningscenteret

Købmagergade 46, 4.

DK - 1150 Copenhagen K., Denmark

ad c. Mag. art. Søren Kaspersen

The University of Copenhagen

Institut for Kunsthistorie og Teatervidenskab

Njalsgade 80

DK - 2300 Copenhagen S., Denmark

ad d. Dr. phil. Niels Fock

Bredgade 56 DK - 1260 Copenhagen K., Denmark

ad e. Professor Birger Munk Olsen

The University of Copenhagen

Institut for græsk og Latin

Njalsgade 92

DK - 2300 Copenhagen S., Denmark
 

4 Management plan

- Statement of the significance of the documentary heritage

(chapter 4, sect. 4)

- - - - -

- Access policy and procedures

(chapter 7, sect. 8; Chapter 8, sect. 1)

Public access. However, restricted material - i.e. manuscripts, non-print material, large folios, foreign books over 100 years old, literature from the Danish Dept. - may only be used in reading rooms under surveillance.

- Details of preservation budget: Budget 1995, incl. staff: DKK 13,3 million

- Preservation procedures and policies to control the physical environment - i.e. air quality, temperature, humidity, light levels, shelving, storage, security, building maintenance, handling by staff and users and display techniques. These procedures and policies should take into account the significance, physical state and required use of the documentary heritage (chapter 7, sect. 2)

Building policies for new central storage, finished 1997: temp. 18 ° C; hum. 30-40% RH;

UV-filterlight; steel shelving; high security; special handling procedures regarding fragile parts of collections

- Preservation treatments employed including details about access to professional conservation expertise and facilities (chapter 7, sect. 3, 4, and 5)

Well-equipped modern Conservation Workshop with skilled staff

- A disaster prevention and recovery plan

Katastrofeplan for Det kongelige Bibliotek. 1995. 49 pp. /The Royal Library Disaster Plan

- Number of preservation staff, their qualifications and opportunities for their continued training

The Royal Library employs 6 trained book-restorers, 6 trained conservators and 4 assistants (incl. staff financed via external funds). The staff attends special courses and conferences.

- Description of how preservation activities are incorporatet into general management activities

The preservation policy of the Royal Library is laid down in the Preservation Council, comprising the Director General, the Head of the Preservation Division, the Heads of Preservation, of the Collections, of the Custodial Services, the Head Bookbinder, the Head of the Rare Book Collections and the Head of Security.
 

5. Assessment against the Selection Criteria

5.1. Assessment of the documentary heritage against Criteria:
       1 - Influence, 2 - Time, 3 - Place, 4 - People, 5 - Subject/theme, 6 - Form and style
5.2. Contextual assessment incl. an assessment of the importance of a series of documents, the importance of a series of documents in a particular setting, and the assessment against other documentary heritage
5.3. an evaluation of the authenticity
5.4. an assessment of rarity

ad a. Hans Christian Andersen

ad b. Søren Kierkegaard 5.2. The Kierkegaard Archives belongs to the most complete and comprehensive archives left by any author. It is of primary importance for the study of Kierkegaard and his era

5.3. The Kierkegaard Archives consist exclusively of authentic material

5.4. Almost all the papers in the Kierkegaard Archives have been written by Kierkegaard, and are therefore unique. Also as an archival entity the Kierkegaard Archives must be regarded as a rarity

ad c. The Dalby Book

5.2. Although the Book of Dalby has many topological parallels in Europe, it is a unique document within the context of written culture in Scandinavia

5.3. The scarcity of external evidence and the rarity of comparable material has hitherto made it impossible to reach a final conclusion as to the precise origin of the book

5.4. In a Scandinavian context the Book of Dalby must be considered extremely rare

ad d. The Inca Chronicle

5.2. Poma's chronicle is considered to be of primary importance for the study of Inca culture

5.3. The lack of comparable material and supportive evidence has led to a scholarly discussion about the Poma's authorship of the chronicle

5.4. Poma de Ayala's Chronicle of the Incas is addressed to King Philip III of Spain, and describes the history and conditions of the Inca Empire before and after the Spanish conquest. Poma presents a defence of the racial and cultural integrity of the Indians. 400 of the 1200 pages of the manuscript are full-page pen drawings, which provide a unique and invaluable insight into the daily lives of the Indians. Poma's work is the only known illustrative material of the early history of Peru and its early colonial period.

ad e. The Angers Fragment

ad f. Maps of the Polar Region

The three maps are unique, handdrawn documents concerning the Polar region and the mapping of these areas from 1600 until this century.
Resen's map, based on the first Danish expedition to Greenland, is widely used in historical context dealing with the early travels of the Northerners to the American continent. Egede's map is the first native map of Greenland by the Danish missionary Hans Egede, who solved the question about the Frobisher Strait.
The Høeg Hagen map is the first mapping of this hitherto unknown land. The sketches are the only papers left from the disastrous Denmark Expedition 1906-1908, ending with the death of the surveying team. The map was later found on the body of Jørgen Brønlund and is one of the very special items in the Map Collection.
Criteria 3, 4, 5, 6: For their important information about the Polar region and their form and rarity these maps are of world significance
 

6. Consultation

6.1. Details of consultation about the nomination with the: Owner
 

7. Nominator

7.1. Name: Det kongelige Bibliotek / The Royal Library
7.2. Relationship to documentary heritage: Owner
7.3. Contact person: Steen Bille Larsen, Deputy Director
7.4. Contact details: as point 1.4.


PART B - SUBSIDIARY INFORMATION
 

8. Assessment of Risk

The political climate in Denmark is very stable, leaving no danger of any kind of riots, civil wars etc.
The environmental and physical conditions are the primary risk factors.
The preservation budget (DKK 13,3 million) does only cover the immediate needs and damages, leaving no reserve for dealing with the crucial problem of paper deterioration. The most urgent need is conservation and stabilisation of the paper of the manuscripts and letters.
Frequent use of the collections by researchers and exhibitors are also increasing risk factors
 

9. Preservation Assessment

ad a. The Hans Christian Andersen Collections: About 60% of the manuscripts and letters need continuous conservation and minor repair, but the Collections as such have never been exposed to serious damages. Following the Security and Preservation policy of the Royal Library the manuscripts are kept in safe-deposit stacks, with controlled temperature and humidity. Use of the material from the collections is only allowed in secured reading room areas, and as of October 1998 only in new surroundings in the future Centre for Manuscripts and Rare Books.

ad b. The Kierkegaard Archives.
The papers need constant supervision. Several parts of the archives need conservation or repair

ad c. The Book of Dalby: is in a fairly good condition, but needs constant supervision

ad d. The Inca Chronicle: The condition of the manuscript is very bad. It needs a thorough conservation, but appropriate methods have not yet been developed. The physical condition of the Inca Chronicle means that any kind of use or display etc. is prohibited. The manuscript has been security-filmed and a fac-simile edition has been published. Digitization is under consideration.

ad e. The Angers -fragment is in a fairly good condition, but needs constant supervision

ad f. The maps are vulnerable because of the paper quality. They have been security-filmed.
No actual plans for further preservation

Mr. Steen Bille Larsen, Deputy Director, is in charge of the Preservation at the Royal Library, assisted by the Head of Preservation, Mr. Jonas Palm.
 
 

Prepared by Birgitte Hvidt, Sectional Librarian, 5 May 1997