"When the Germans invaded Sarajevo during World War II they looted museums. The museum's chief librarian, Islamic scholar Dervis Korkut, took the Sarajevo Haggadah to a remote village where it was hidden among Korans and other Islamic texts for the duration of the war. After the war it was returned to the museum.
In 1992, when the museum was shelled by Serbian forces during the Bosnian War another librarian, Enver Imamovic, retrieved the manuscript and took it secretly to a bank vault. After the war an international campaign raised funds to restore it."
Sigh. So much nifty stuff got destroyed or stolen. (I have been avoiding thinking too hard about all that bronze-age stuff that trashed by ISIS & friends for a decade now.)
It was really a strange juxtaposition, seeing the Sarajevo Haggadah both under a special glass enclosure in its own room in a museum and moments later, seeing someone flipping through it almost casually, and then holding it like a schoolbook. I'm glad that the museum opened back up and the Haggadah is back on display. (Per Wikipedia- because I had to know!)
Wow, another informative winner. Thinking of elm's post (infra), maybe we could save the remaining cultural treasures of Afghanistan if we just flew in a couple planes full of librarians?
It is so nice to read about the survival of at least one important historical book. The cooperation required to save it is inspiring.
"When the Germans invaded Sarajevo during World War II they looted museums. The museum's chief librarian, Islamic scholar Dervis Korkut, took the Sarajevo Haggadah to a remote village where it was hidden among Korans and other Islamic texts for the duration of the war. After the war it was returned to the museum.
In 1992, when the museum was shelled by Serbian forces during the Bosnian War another librarian, Enver Imamovic, retrieved the manuscript and took it secretly to a bank vault. After the war an international campaign raised funds to restore it."
Sigh. So much nifty stuff got destroyed or stolen. (I have been avoiding thinking too hard about all that bronze-age stuff that trashed by ISIS & friends for a decade now.)
elm
irritating
It was really a strange juxtaposition, seeing the Sarajevo Haggadah both under a special glass enclosure in its own room in a museum and moments later, seeing someone flipping through it almost casually, and then holding it like a schoolbook. I'm glad that the museum opened back up and the Haggadah is back on display. (Per Wikipedia- because I had to know!)
Wow, another informative winner. Thinking of elm's post (infra), maybe we could save the remaining cultural treasures of Afghanistan if we just flew in a couple planes full of librarians?