The German National Library had good reason to celebrate: in 2023, the nation's cultural memory commemorated the 111th anniversary of its foundation. This was a welcome opportunity to bring the German National Library closer to the people of Germany, with more than 420 events, guided tours and numerous hands-on activities at both locations. Around 13,500 people took advantage of the special offers during the anniversary period.

50 guests had the opportunity to take a bus trip Photo: Josephine Kreutzer

The year of celebrations ended in November with the Open Day held at the German National Library's premises in Frankfurt. The festivities had begun nine months before with an Open Day in Leipzig, where the German National Library was first founded. The response was great, and the German National Library welcomed large numbers of interested guests with guided tours, hands-on activities and a concert. This was the first Open Day to welcome 50 guests who had travelled from the other location after taking part in a prize draw – a sign of the close ties between the two houses.

Photo: Johanna Baschke

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News of the Open Days spread far and wide

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The German National Library at two book fairs

How about a photo in front of the historic reading room? Photo: Johanna Baschke

Library crafts for visitors of all ages Photo: Johanna Baschke

Staff from the German National Library presented programmes at the book fairs in Leipzig and Frankfurt am Main. The promotional areas at both venues were completely revamped to mark #111yearsDNB. The DNB's self-concept as an active cultural memory of the past and future was evident not only from its external appearance but also in the varied programme provided by staff. They discussed the future of libraries, contemporary education on museum topics and the "What?" and "Why?" of the DNB's legal mandate in a series of talks and lectures. In all, 47 presentations and discussions and six readings invited book fair visitors to get better acquainted with the German National Library.

“Leipzig Reads“ – Frankfurt am Main too

Hundreds of guests attended events and guided tours held by the German National Library, the German Music Archive and the German Museum of Books and Writing as part of the reading festival "Leipzig Reads". The readings and conversations with authors Clemens J. Setz and Christiane Hoffmann and Volker Weidermann's conversation with Clemens Meyer and Helga Schubert were for the most part fully booked in advance. They offered literary enjoyment, at times charged with critical propositions.

Guests at the DNB in Frankfurt am Main also had the opportunity to enjoy exciting readings, for example at the city's reading festival "OPEN BOOKS". Tonio Schachinger – who had just been crowned the winner of the 2023 Book Prize the previous day – took his place on the DNB's Blue Sofa alongside writer Thomas Hettche, journalist Isabel Schayani and Slovenian author Aleš Šteger. Authors Durs Grünbein, Matthias Göritz, Stephan Anpalagan, Ronen Steinke and Dirk Steffens were all guests at "BOOKFEST". The Book Fair weekend also saw ten children's book authors present their new books to a youthful audience at "OPEN BOOKS KIDS".

Photo: Johanna Baschke

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Clemens J. Setz

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Finally a gathering in person

Impressions from the staff gathering: Christa Fayen sketched the event Photo: Christa Fayen

The staff gathering originally planned for 2020 and postponed several times due to the pandemic finally took place in 2023, the DNB's anniversary year, bringing together all staff from both locations. True to the motto "Together. Diverse", the two-day event at the Frankfurt am Main location provided space for expert dialogue, personal meetings, discussions on strategy development for the years up to 2035 – and an evening event in the library garden in Frankfurt. Colleagues from Leipzig and Frankfurt am Main also bid farewell to Michael Fernau, Director of the Leipzig branch, on this evening.

Dialogue with the library sector

The DNB also celebrated at the 111th BiblioCon (previously known as "Bibliothekartag", Librarian's Day) with a trade fair stand under the anniversary logo. Colleagues were invited to share their visions for the library of the future with the DNB. Numerous DNB staff contributed talks and workshops to the extensive programme. The DNB's trade fair stand became the place to go to continue discussions begun previously and get detailed information about the services offered by the DNB.

Stories from 111 years

Collage: Pictures and postcards from 111 years of DNB Photo: Fanni Fröhlich

A wealth of stories and anecdotes can accumulate over 111 years: 65 colleagues told inside stories and searched the archives for historical recordings and images. 18 outside authors wrote about the German National Library, either drawing on their memories or as part of the University of Leipzig's Master's degree course in art history. An editorial team of five colleagues collected and presented the 111 stories in the DNB Blog.

611 "elevenies" for the German National Library

Anniversary greetings from colleagues and users reached the DNB in a most unusual way: rather than being written in a thick book of congratulations, thoughts on the library were recorded in the form of short poems, known as Elfchen ("elevenies"). This unique poetic form consists of 5 lines with a fixed number of words per line. We asked for "100 elevenies" as an appropriate number for the anniversary – we received 611. A sample:

Bibliothek
Kulturelles Erbe
Bewahrerin der Geschichte
Hier verweile ich gerne
Bedeutend

Spring into action. This was an opportunity for visitors to share their visions of the library of the future. Photo: Johanna Baschke

You can read all the other poems here. The "elevenies" were also popular as a creative activity at the book fairs and at BiblioCon. Visitors also shared a wealth of visions: around 200 wishes for the future were submitted at both book fairs.

Close encounters of the musical kind at the German Music Archive

Composed a work for the German National Library: Jazz pianist and electronic musician Philipp Rumsch Photo: PUNCTUM

On 13 May, things got really loud in Leipzig. Leipzig-based sound designer, composer, Jazz pianist and electronic musician Philipp Rumsch was invited to create a composition specially tailored to the library. In his complex, many-sided instrumental work "ARCADIA", the idyll of reading, living and interpersonal harmony collided head on with the fear of destruction and man-made climate change. Find out here what this sounds like!

Events and exhibitions during the anniversary year

The German Museum of Books and Writing and the German Exile Archive 1933–1945 also contributed to the success of this anniversary year by holding a series of exhibitions and events. Find out more about these events and the German National Library's educational work in this highlight.