Bavarian literature over 10 centuries: from the Wessobrunn Prayer to Lorenz von Westenrieder
Bayerische Literatur in zehn Jahrhunderten - Zeit für Entstehung, Überlieferung und Rezeption von Literatur auf begrenztem, territorialem Raum (Bavarian literature over ten centuries - time for the creation, tradition and reception of literature in a restricted, territorial region) – offers an overview of the most important and interesting literary and linguistic monuments that the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek has in its Bavarica holdings. Starting with the early medieval testimonies (Wessobrunn Prayer, Book of the Gospels) to the works of the younger modern period (Muscae Viennenses et Ettalenses, Life of the Good Young Boy Engelhof), they are preserved in various forms and originate from spiritual (Baumgarten of Spiritual Hearts), courtly (Parzival), urban-bourgeois (Fortunatus) or folk, rural-craftsman provenance (Meisterlieder songs), are intended for practical use (Book of Nature) or primarily represent aesthetic interest (poetic diary).
The virtual exhibition shows Bavaria's literary treasures, selected highlights whose origin, tradition and impact are related to Bavaria and have gone down in literary history. The range and diversity of this literature from ten centuries can be seen here in manuscripts, some magnificently illuminated, prints, collections and letters. Only works from those epochs are honoured that at least originate from authors who lived in Old Bavaria, Swabia or Franconia, who moved to these areas from outside and left a significant mark here, or that were (anonymously) created, preserved or acquired in Bavaria.