"We are delighted that the volumes will now be stored appropriately for conservation purposes and will be available for students and researchers to analyze," said Professor Eileen M. Wanke upon handing them over to the SuuB. The donation is also being made in the name of her mother Alice Wanke, a graduate of the University of Bremen and collector of genealogical records.

Family registers, the predecessor of friendship or poetry albums, contain handwritten records, usually poems, and good wishes. Family, friendships, and other networks can be traced through their owners and entries. They are therefore an important source of everyday history for numerous specialist disciplines. This is especially true when, as is the case in this collection, a broad period of time is covered: The oldest family register begins in the middle of the 19th century, the most recent dates from the 1970s and most of the family registers were created in Bremen and the surrounding area. They contain material for various research topics and opportunities for university theses. "These albums are a valuable addition to the SuUB Bremen's historical collections, especially due to their varied regional references," says Dr. MariaHermes-Wladarsch, head of Historical Collections.

The State and University Library Bremen will index the family registers and make them available for research via its electronic catalog (E-LIB). After making an appointment, they can then be accessed in the SuUB Bremen's manuscript reading room.

Contact:

Dr. MariaHermes-Wladarsch
Head of Historical Collections
State and University Library Bremen
Phone: +49 421 218-59571
Email: hermes@suub.uni-bremen.de