Collections of the former Krasiński Library in the National Library

Abstract

The article starts with the brief history of the Krasiński Library, established in 1844 – the origins of its collections reached the 16^th century. Since 1914 the library was located in its own building in Warsaw, Okólnik 9 str. In 1930 the collection consisted of (among others): 86292 new printings, 1755 printings of the 15^th and 16^th centuries, 809 atlases, plans and maps, as well as approx. 7000 manuscripts. During the World War II the Krasiński Library was included into the occupation Staatsbibliothek Warschau. The Germans placed in its headquarters also other, the most precious Warsaw library collections, including those from the National Library and the University Library in Warsaw. When the Warsaw Uprising collapsed (1944), the Library’s building with the collections inside was burnt by the Germans. The remnant part of the collection was incorporated after the war to the National Library. This exact part is the topic of this article. The author described briefly particular fragments of the Krasiński collection (actually not separated from the NL): new printings (approx. 73 200 vol.), journals (4841 titles in 17 378 vol.), old printings (more than 5000 works in 10 000 vol.), manuscripts (80 units), iconography (3065 graphics, approx. 100 drawings, 195 albums), cartography (approx. 150 units).