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Confiscated. Hidden and Forgotten

Exhibition from 10 April to 23 June – ULB Stadtmitte UG1

2024/04/09

The exhibition of Nazi-looted property in the University and State Library Darmstadt reveals not only the role of the library on this topic. The personal fates behind the confiscations also remain in the memory.

In a confined space, small and often seemingly humble objects document the totalitarian persecution practices of the National Socialist state of injustice. This includes books that represent silent witnesses with their ownership stamps, exlibris or autographs of their owners.

In some cases, these last traces of persecuted people and regional institutions are located right next to the possesion records of the confiscating Nazi authorities. Many stolen books were found on the shelves of the University and State Library Darmstadt. On the one hand, the persecuting authorities focused on regional institutions such as trade unions, Freemasons and Jewish lodges as well as religious associations. On the other hand, private individuals who were persecuted, dispossessed and sometimes murdered for racist, anti-semitic or political reasons.

The history of Nazi-looted property does not end with the collapse of the National Socialist state of injustice. Nazi-looted property found its way into the collections of today's University and State Library Darmstadt not only before 1945, but also afterwards. The handling of looted property in German libraries since the post-war period still raises many questions today – the Darmstadt example is also addressed as part of the exhibition.

Since autumn 2022, a project funded by the German Lost Art Foundation has been systematically researching cases of Nazi-looted property in the holdings of the University and State Library Darmstadt. The aim of the project is to document and publish the stolen cultural assets found so that those affected and their legal successors can contact the library. In the spirit of the Joint Declaration, just and fair solutions are to be found and restitutions prepared.

Exhibition opening

The exhibition is opened at 10. April 2024 at 5.00 p.m. in the lecture room of ULB Darmstadt.

Organiser

Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Darmstadt

Venues

ULB Darmstadt
UG 1 – Exhibition area
Magdalenenstraße 8
64289 Darmstadt

Opening hours

Daily 8.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. (except on public holidays)

Kontakt

of ULB Darmstadt