‘Benesch-Bücherei’: The Fate of Edvard Beneš’s Private Library, 1938–1948
Michal Šimůnek, Monika Vlasáková
| Pages | 95–107 |
|---|---|
| DOI | 10.37520/amnpsc.2025.016 |
| Keywords | Edvard Beneš – private library – Nazi occupation – restitution – cultural heritage |
| Type of Article | Peer-reviewed |
| Citation | ŠIMŮNEK, Michal a VLASÁKOVÁ, Monika. ‘Benesch-Bücherei’: The Fate of Edvard Beneš’s Private Library, 1938–1948. Acta Musei Nationalis Pragae – Historia litterarum. Prague: National Museum, 2025, 70(3-4), 95–107. DOI: https://doi.org/10.37520/amnpsc.2025.016. ISSN 2570-6861 (Print), 2570-687X (Online). Also available from: https://publikace.nm.cz/en/periodicals/acta-musei-nationalis-pragae-historia-litterarum/70-3-4/benesch-bucherei-the-fate-of-edvard-beness-private-library-19381948 |
This paper traces the fate of the private library of the second president of Czechoslovakia, Dr Edvard Beneš (1884–1948), which was looted during the Nazi occupation. Systematically assembled from the early twentieth century, the library is estimated to have comprised approximately 12,000 items by 1938. The study documents the incorporation of parts of the collection into German institutions — most notably German Charles University (Deutsche Karls-Universität) in Prague — and examines the immediate post-war efforts to restore the library, alongside new acquisitions made between May 1945 and the autumn of 1948.