Priceless medieval missal has return to Wroclaw University Library

On December the 2nd, 2009, in Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs was held ceremony of handing over medieval missal to Wroclaw University Library. The manuscript was lost during the Second World War, and now has been retrieved by Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Minister Radosław Sikorski personally handled manuscript over to Rector of University of Wrocław – prof. Marek Bojarski and to Director of Wroclaw University Library – Grażyna Piotrowicz.

Representatives of University pass sincere thanks to Minister Sikorski and Director of Department of Legal and Treaty Issues - Remigiusz A. Henczel for personnel of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and especially for Team for restitution of cultural heritage for quick and efficient actions that ended with ultimate success.

Ceremony was held in presence of invited representatives of mass-media.

Missal (the most important liturgical book, containing constant and inconstant parts of the mass) has been founded in circa 1470 for St. Mary Magdalene Church in Wroclaw. It was included into collections of the City Library, along with collections from library of St. Mary Magdalene Church in 60s of the 19th century, when three of the oldest churches libraries were merged into one collection. From 1945 Wroclaw University Library has been the heir to collections of the City Library. As indicated in old catalogs and library's documentation – in City Library collections it has call number M1138. In September 1943, in fear of air strikes, most precious collections were packed into 100 boxes and evacuated to the palace in Ramfeld (presently - Ramułtowice). Missal, along with ten other codices, was in box No. 33, placed in music salon of palace. After the war it turned out, that box No. 33, although without any evidences of plunder, contained only 8, instead of 11 manuscripts.

Recovered missal is parchment codex of measurement 36,5 cm x 26,2 cm, consisting of 220 cards. Its text is written with black ink, in two columns, with texture, in Latin. It has rich ornamentation, with two full-page decorations, 16 initials and 18 beautiful edging. Cards are very well preserved, and colors – lively. Missal has original, originating from 15th century, binding, made from thick boards covered with brown leather, with preserved brass bosses (on front cover should be five of them – remained four, and on back – two). First six pages contain calendar with main feasts (inter alia St. Adalbert, St. Stanislaus, St. Hedwig, St. Elizabeth), that are the most important feasts in Diocese of Wroclaw and indicate an origin of codex.

Missal was found in New York in Bloomsbury auction house by bibliophile and collector, dr Henryk Teisseryre, who, after receiving auction catalog, noticed in it Magdalenian codex and contacted Polish National Library and Wroclaw University Library. Information regarding missal in Bloomsbury reached Polish consulate in New York three days before auction, but due to quick response of Polish consul - Krzysztof Kasprzyk – it was possible to withdraw it from auction. Next, as an effect of negotiations with person who was in possession of missal, in short period of three months it was possible to retrieve codex for free.

It is not the first manuscript plundered during the War or after its end that has been recovered for Wroclaw University Library thanks to dedication, determination and diplomatic skills of personnel from Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 2003 Belial (moral-theological tractate by Jacobus de Theramo) was recovered and in 2005 – breviary (i.e. liturgical book for everyday prayers) containing texts of prayers, psalms and hymns, that during the evacuation has been lost in similar circumstances as missal in palace in Ramułtowice from box No. 34. Both books were found in Sotheby’s auction house in London and returned to Wroclaw University Library with no expenses on its behalf.

It is also worthy to notice, that in summer of current year, in Krakow antique shop Rara Avis, show up for sale breviary from 15th century with rich illuminations, also originating from former City Library (call number M 1139), that also was lost in Ramułtowice from the same box No. 33, in which was stored described above missal. Due to intervention of Wroclaw University Library, breviary has been withdrawn from auction. At present time an action is taking in order to recover an antique.

Grażyna Piotrowicz

Article in „Przeglądzie Uniwersyteckim”, page 11
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[2009-12-14]