Gerwin of Hameln

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Manuscript from Gerwin's library: Prayer request “Orate pro Gherwio de hamelen datore” ( Pray for Gerwin von Hameln, the donor ), family coat of arms and stamp of the Braunschweig city library , where the work is located today.
Notarial instrument Gerwin of Hameln dated March 5, 1445 with his notarial signet .

Gerwin von Hameln (also called Gerwin van Hameln ; * around 1415 in Braunschweig ; † 1496 ibid) was a German cleric , town clerk and book collector in Braunschweig.

Life

Gerwin von Hameln came from a wealthy family of craftsmen in Braunschweig. In 1433 he began to study theology in Leipzig , but finished it without an academic degree . In 1438 he became town clerk of the Braunschweig Common Council . He was the highest civil servant in the city and held this position for over 50 years. In 1441 he was also authorized as an imperial notary in the city to issue documents with public legal validity, at the same time he was "clericus Hildeshemensis diocesis " . In order to honor his great work for the city, Gerwin von Hameln received an annual annuity approved by the council as early as 1442 . In 1445 he became rector (priest at the high altar ) of the Holy Spirit Chapel , which was located in the west of the city, outside the walls at the High Gate. He held this office until 1495.

Private library

His financial independence allowed him to amass a large collection of books over the decades, which is now considered one of the most important German private libraries of the 15th century. Gerwin von Hameln bequeathed the 336 manuscripts and other works (mainly scholastic , theological and legal content) by will of 23 September 1495, to the Liberei , the library of the Andreas Church in Braunschweiger Neustadt , where he lived.

legacy

Last page from Gerwin's will of Hameln from September 23, 1495.

The handwritten testament contains information about the author himself as well as his activity "... so ick boven vofftig year to the Ersamen Rade tho Brunschwigk in front of his secretarium." As well as the note that he wrote his 336 books, which were in the drafting of the last will were in the Liberei for some time, as "an everlasting possession" of his "liberie to Sunte Andrease" give, connected but with the edition that none of the books should be ever awarded outside the city and also lending within the city only under strict conditions are to be approved. He made an exception to this with regard to members of his family. These were allowed to borrow a maximum of two volumes for up to three months. In later years, his descendants saw this exception as a kind of charter or at least property of the library, which ultimately led to its decline.

Furthermore, Gerwin von Hameln ordered that the entire library be made accessible to the public. By “public” he understood not only the clergy but also secular persons, such as the members of the council and “Doctores, Licentiaten, Sindici, Prothonotarii et Secretarii” .

Together with the book holdings that had existed there since the 14th century and were greatly expanded by Johann Ember at the beginning of the 15th century, this library enjoyed a great national reputation in the Liberei until the end of the 17th century and was an attraction for many scholars. The donation of Gerwin of Hameln represents both a high point and a turning point in the history of the St. Andreas library. After the library was gradually torn apart due to disputes, the books of Gerwin of Hameln were also given by the owner, all with family names and coats of arms as well as the sentence "Orate pro Gherwino de Hamelen datore" marked, scattered in all directions. To this day, however, it has been possible to locate over 40% of the original holdings in other libraries, including the Braunschweig City Library and the Herzog August Library in Wolfenbüttel .

literature

  • Anette Haucap-Naß: The Brunswick town clerk Gerwin von Hameln and his library. In: Wolfenbüttel Medieval Studies. published by the Herzog August Library , Volume 8, Harrassowitz Verlag, Wiesbaden 1995, ISBN 3-447-03754-7 .
  • Anette Haucap-Naß, Hans-Joachim Behr (ed.): Gerwin von Hameln, Braunschweig book collector in the late Middle Ages. Catalog of the exhibition in the Städtisches Museum Braunschweig from September 5 to October 27, 1996. In: Braunschweiger Werkstücke. Volume 43, of the whole series Volume 96, Braunschweig 1996, ISBN 3-87884-049-7 .
  • Hermann Herbst : The library of the Andreas Church in Braunschweig. In: Central Journal for Libraries. Vol. 58, issue 9/10, Sept./Oct. 1941, pp. 301-338.
  • Horst-Rüdiger Jarck , Dieter Lent et al. (Ed.): Braunschweigisches Biographisches Lexikon - 8th to 18th century . Appelhans Verlag, Braunschweig 2006, ISBN 3-937664-46-7 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Hermann Herbst: The library of the Andreas Church in Braunschweig. in: Zentralblatt für Bibliothekswesen. Vol. 58, issue 9/10, Sept./Oct. 1941, p. 329.
  2. ↑ a b Werner Spieß: History of the city of Braunschweig in the post-Middle Ages. From the end of the Middle Ages to the end of urban freedom 1491–1671. Volume 2, Braunschweig 1966, p. 734.
  3. ^ Reinhard Dorn : Medieval churches in Braunschweig. Hameln 1978, p. 249.
  4. ^ Hermann Dürre : History of the city of Braunschweig in the Middle Ages. Braunschweig 1861. p. 548.
  5. ^ A b Horst-Rüdiger Jarck, Dieter Lent (Ed.): Braunschweigisches Biographisches Lexikon: 8th to 18th century. Appelhans Verlag, Braunschweig 2006, p. 261.
  6. ↑ Hermann Herbst: The library of the Andreas Church in Braunschweig. in: Zentralblatt für Bibliothekswesen. Vol. 58, issue 9/10, Sept./Oct. 1941, p. 330.
  7. ↑ Hermann Herbst: The library of the Andreas Church in Braunschweig. in: Zentralblatt für Bibliothekswesen. Vol. 58, issue 9/10, Sept./Oct. 1941, p. 331.
  8. ↑ Hermann Herbst: The library of the Andreas Church in Braunschweig. in: Zentralblatt für Bibliothekswesen. Vol. 58, issue 9/10, Sept./Oct. 1941, p. 332.
  9. ↑ Camerer, Garzmann, Schuegraf, Pingel: Braunschweiger Stadtlexikon. Braunschweig 1992, p. 86.
personal data
SURNAME Gerwin of Hameln
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Hamelin, Gerwin van
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Cleric, city clerk of Braunschweig and book collector
DATE OF BIRTH around 1415
PLACE OF BIRTH Braunschweig
DATE OF DEATH 1496
Place of death Braunschweig