Manuscripts

The exhibition reveals the collection of manuscripts from the 13th century to the present. The oldest manuscript books Psalterium Davidis and Parabolae Salomonis have been obtained from the former Roman Catholic monasteries of Riga. They have rich decorative design, illuminations and colourful and gilded initials.   The Library has chronicles, genealogies, diaries, and travelogues - important material pertaining to cultural history of the Baltic area. The manuscript collections of the former Riga lyceum teacher J. C. Brotze (1742–1823), publicist Garlieb Merkel (1769–1850), poet J. M. R. Lenz (1751–1792) and A. Buchholtz’s genealogical collection in 53 volumes have very important place among the collections of the Academic Library of the University of Latvia.   The collection of autographs of distinguished statesmen, researchers and cultural figures is rich in number. The Library keeps decrees signed by Peter I, Catherine II and Napoleon as well as autographs and letters by Swedish king Gustavus II Adolphus, M. Luther, H. C. Andersen, H. Berlioz, F. Liszt, L. Pasteur. The major part of the manuscript collection consists of funds of Latvian scientists, writers, linguists, folklorists and cultural figures, from the 17th century copies of C. Fürecker’s Latvian language dictionary to the 21st century materials. The collection of Latvian manuscripts contains manuscripts of K. Valdemārs, K. Barons, J. Poruks, J. Jaunsudrabiņš, R. Blaumanis, A. Čaks and others as well as funds of Latvian scientists.  The exposition is replenished by varied materials from the voluminous set of manuscripts and documents of Prof. J. Lautenbach, owned by Library of the UL - his manuscript notes over the period of Dorpat University studies, written in German, sentimental lyric under pseudonym Jūsminis, a rough copy of his comprehensive article about Stērstu Andrejs, as well as a carefully preserved notification letter from the Council of the University of Latvia announcing the awarding the degree honoris causa in 1924. For the first time a manuscript together with the first publication of the book are on a public display. There are two books: J. Alunāns’s poetry book Dziesmiņas, latviešu valodai pārtulkotas (Songs translated for the Latvian language) that is considered the first important collection of poetry in Latvian and a manuscript fragment of the first realistic novel in Latvian Mērnieku laiki (Times of surveyors) by brothers Kaudzītes. M. Kaudzīte’s corrections and additions reveal the creative process how the novel was written. VIEW IMAGES