From Humboldt to Molière - A Day at the Berlin State Library. The 46th ILAB Congress and Rare Book Week Berlin Part 3 (3)

After two days exploring Berlin’s history, cultural institutions and book collections, the third and final day of the ILAB Congress was devoted entirely to the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, one of the world's great research libraries and an important partner of the international antiquarian book trade.

Founded in 1661, the library holds approximately 5.7 million books at Unter den Linden, as well as major collections of manuscripts, early printed books, music and material from Asian and Oriental traditions. Among its treasures are a Gutenberg Bible, manuscripts associated with Dante, Goethe and Alfred Döblin, and musical masterpieces including Bach’s Mass in B minor, Mozart’s The Magic Flute and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

For the international booksellers gathered in Berlin, the day offered an opportunity to see these collections from behind the scenes and to meet the librarians and specialists responsible for their care, research and development.

The morning began at the historic State Library building Unter den Linden, where delegates were welcomed by the library's Director General, Professor Dr Achim Bonte.

In smaller groups, participants explored different departments of the vast institution, guided by the curators and librarians who work with its collections every day.

The visits took delegates into the Manuscripts Department, the central reading room, the Music Department, the children's book reading room and specialist collections of rare books, autographs and maps. Original material was brought out for closer examination, allowing participants to appreciate not only the historical significance of the holdings but also the expertise involved in their preservation and interpretation.

The 5th ILAB Symposium bringing booksellers and librarians together

The afternoon programme continued at the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, Unter den Linden, where the 5th ILAB Symposium took place in the Humboldt-Saal.

The symposium brought together booksellers, librarians, scholars and collectors for an afternoon devoted to the history of collections, the relationship between libraries and the trade, and the recognition of outstanding bibliographical scholarship.

The symposium opened with welcomes from Professor Dr Achim Bonte, ILAB President Mats Petersson and Dr Markus Brandis, President of the German Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association (VDA). Proceedings were moderated by Mario Giupponi of Studio Benacense, Italy, a former President of ILAB.

The afternoon's programme moved from an exceptional discovery connected to Alexander von Humboldt to a broader discussion of the role of antiquarian booksellers in building and preserving research collections.

Inside Humboldt's library: the rediscovery of a personal catalogue

One of the highlights of the symposium was the presentation of Alexander von Humboldt's personal Catalog der Bücher, an important manuscript that had entered the Staatsbibliothek's Humboldt collections through a donation in 2025.

The catalogue provides a fascinating connection to the private library and intellectual world of one of the nineteenth century's most influential naturalists, explorers and scholars.

Dr Ulrich Päßler of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences introduced the manuscript and its significance for Humboldt research.

He was joined by Peter Altmaier, former German Federal Minister and former Head of the Federal Chancellery, who now chairs the Friends of the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin.

Altmaier's participation reflected his close involvement with the institution and the important role played by its supporters in strengthening the library and its collections.

The symposium's keynote address was delivered by Professor Dr Everardus (Eef) Overgaauw, former Head of the Manuscripts Department at the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin and Honorary Professor of Medieval Palaeography and Codicology at Freie Universität Berlin.

Under the title Building Collections: Libraries and the Rare Book Trade in Cooperation, the session examined the longstanding relationship between public collections, private collectors and professional booksellers.

For centuries, antiquarian booksellers have contributed to the formation of major research collections. Their role has extended far beyond commercial transactions: they identify and research material, establish provenance, bring previously unknown objects to scholarly attention and connect private collections with public institutions.

The keynote was followed by a panel discussion bringing together different perspectives from the library and bookselling worlds.

Dr Stephanie Stillo, Chief of the Rare Book & Special Collections Division at the Library of Congress in Washington, joined Dr Markus Brandis of Bassenge Auctions in Berlin and Emma Walshe of Peter Harrington in London, who serves as Library Liaison for the British ABA and ILAB.

Together, the speakers represented the close professional connections between institutions and the international rare book trade.

The session formed part of ILAB's continuing efforts to strengthen dialogue with libraries and archives, recognising that the preservation, documentation and accessibility of historical material depend on cooperation across professional boundaries.

A celebration of bibliography

The symposium concluded with a celebration of bibliographical scholarship: the award ceremony of the 19th ILAB Breslauer Prize for Bibliography. Established in 1965 and awarded by ILAB with the generous support of the B. H. Breslauer Foundation, the Prize honours outstanding contributions to bibliography and book history. The ceremony brought together scholars, librarians and antiquarian booksellers to recognise this year's prizewinners and their remarkable research.

Read more about the 19th ILAB Breslauer Prize for Bibliography, the award ceremony in Berlin and the 2026 prizewinners in our separate article: [LINK].

The evening was also an opportunity to express our heartfelt thanks to Dr Markus Brandis and his entire organising team of the Verband Deutscher Antiquare whose tremendous dedication, enthusiasm and hard work had made the Berlin Congress such an outstanding success. It was a fitting conclusion to three unforgettable days with wonderful memories, new friendships and a few impressive dance moves to take home.