The Crosiers' library in Düsseldorf - reconstruction and comparative analysis

• Applicants: Kathrin Kessen, since 7/2020; Professorin Dr. Eva Schlotheuber
• Subject Area: Medieval History
• Term: from 2019 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 424094407

The aims of the project are a digital reconstruction of the Crosiers' library in Düsseldorf and an analysis of the preserved collection in the Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Düsseldorf. Aside from the usual bibliographic information, the holdings specifics such as former call numbers, owners and characteristics of the historic book bindings will be documented and can be searched. The digital presentation will also offer a synopsis of the Düsseldorf collection with the Crosiers' libraries in Hohenbusch, Wickrath and Memmingen.A monograph, which forms one part of a qualification work, will present book property, textuality and intellectual profile of the monastic order in the residence town Düsseldorf. It will also set the Crosiers' collection in the time of media change in its historic context. In addition to the systematic approach an in-depth analysis is planned of the unique and so far completely unexplored tradition of the “Düsseldorf miracles” in the manuscript B 103. This analysis will illustrate the Crosiers' importance for the young city of Düsseldorf. In addition to that, other manuscripts will be examined as examples regarding their genesis and specifics. One scribe for instance used a secret code in the marginalia and in the main text, which allows conclusions on the usage of his written and commented books.Another aim of this project is to promote the paleographical and codicological knowledge of young scholars since these skills are essential for the analysis and classification of medieval library collections.

• DFG Programme: Cataloguing and Digitisation (Scientific Library Services and Information Systems)
• Ehemalige Antragstellerin: Dr. Anne Liewert, until 6/2020