Liberei

The history of the Liberei begins with the book bequest of Jordanus, pastor of St. Andreas Church, who died shortly before the library’s foundation in 1309. His 18 manuscripts were assigned to the parish in perpetuity for the use of future priests and chaplains. In 1310, Jordanus’s successor, Magister Bruno Luckemann, formally acknowledged responsibility for the collection in a document that also provides the oldest known inventory. Later pastors followed similar procedures, and further works entered the library through ecclesiastical succession. The creation of a dedicated building was associated principally with Johann Ember, pastor of St. Andreas from approximately 1399. In 1412 he arranged a contract with the church elders that committed him to fund most construction expenses and to donate additional books. The agreement required that the books remain permanently in the library, chained to lecterns, while inventories and periodic checks were to protect the collection. The building was intended for the use of the priest and chaplains, but also for other learned users. Borrowing was tightly restricted: Ember himself could borrow no more than two books at once, subject to notification of the church elders. The building contract of 25 September 1412 specified brick construction, substantial walls, windows, pillars, a vault, and an internal stone staircase. The shell was probably completed around Pentecost 1413. Completion was delayed for roughly a decade by the Braunschweig Pfaffenkrieg, a conflict between the Blasiusstift and the city’s common council over ecclesiastical appointments and related institutional questions. The dispute led to church closures and prevented Ember from remaining continuously in Braunschweig. A document dated 25 April 1422 listed work still required, including the roof, windows, doors, locks, furnishings, and access arrangements. The building’s exact handover date cannot be established, but it ultimately became the library building of St. Andreas Church. The Liberei’s collection expanded over the following centuries. Its most important growth came from Gerwin von Hameln, a prominent Braunschweig municipal clerk who served the city council for more than five decades. In a will completed on 23 September 1495, he left 336 books and manuscripts to the St. Andreas library as permanent property. The scale and quality of the bequest made the Liberei one of the better-known scholarly collections in northern Germany. The 1495 donation was also the high point of the institution’s history. After Gerwin’s death, disagreements between his heirs and the city council lasted for decades. During this period, poor administration, neglect, and theft damaged the collection and the building. Later scholars drew attention to the library’s importance and deteriorating condition, but preservation efforts did not reverse its decline. In 1753 the remaining books were moved to a larger library, bringing the Liberei’s independent institutional role to an end. Research indicates that 137 volumes from Gerwin’s bequest remain extant. Architecturally, the Liberei is a small two-storey brick Gothic building with ribbed vaults, stepped gables, glazed moulded bricks, relief tiles, coats of arms, and an exterior frieze depicting 17 lions. Its dimensions are approximately 5.50 by 5.14 metres. It is considered the only surviving medieval brick building in Braunschweig and one of Germany’s oldest surviving buildings designed exclusively for library use. The structure was badly damaged during the Second World War and restored in 1963. It is now a listed monument.

• 1963

  Postwar restoration

  [1]Libereien.wikipedia.org

  After severe Second World War damage, the historic building was restored.

• 1753

  Collection transferred

  [1]Libereien.wikipedia.org

  The remaining library holdings were moved to a larger library, ending the Liberei’s operation as an independent collection.

• 1495

  Gerwin von Hameln’s major bequest

  [1]Libereien.wikipedia.org

  Gerwin von Hameln’s will transferred 336 books and manuscripts to the library, creating its most important historical expansion.

• 1422

  Final construction phase documented

  [1]Libereien.wikipedia.org

  A document listed the remaining architectural and furnishing work required to complete the building after delays caused by the Pfaffenkrieg.

• 1412

  Dedicated building commissioned

  [1]Libereien.wikipedia.org

  Johann Ember contracted for a separate library building and committed personal funds and books to the project.

• Foundation of the library collection

  [1]Libereien.wikipedia.org

  Pastor Jordanus left 18 manuscripts to St. Andreas Church for permanent use by future priests and chaplains, establishing the institutional foundation of the library.

• First surviving inventory and stewardship pledge

  [1]Libereien.wikipedia.org

  Jordanus’s successor, Magister Bruno Luckemann, documented the holdings and accepted formal responsibility for preserving them.

A protected medieval heritage building and former reference library associated with the history of books, manuscript preservation, and early public access to knowledge.

1. 1Libereien.wikipedia.org