bavarikon4USt. Emmeram centre of science in Regensburg
Regensburg can be characterised as a city of science in the second half of the 18th century. During these decades, the city on the Danube experienced a "unique scientific heyday" (Andreas Kraus). In particular, the Benedictine monastery of St. Emmeram was considered a haven of science, a prime example of a convent of Catholic Enlightenment in Upper Germany.
The imperial monastery of St. Emmeram was developed into a centre of science above all by Prince-Abbot Frobenius Forster (ruled 1762-1791). A number of important researchers and scientists emerged from St. Emmeram, including the historian and archivist Roman Zirngibl (1740-1816), the historian and librarian Koloman Sanftl (1752-1809) and the naturalist Placidus Heinrich (1758-1825).
After the final dissolution of the monastery in 1810/12, the holdings were scattered. This applies to the monastery library as well as to the conventuals' private documents. Today, these can be found in the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Bavarian State Library) in Munich, in the Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv (Bavarian Main State Archive) in Munich, in the Staatliche Bibliothek Regensburg (Regensburg State Library), in the Benedictine Monastery in Metten, and in the Archäologische Staatssammlung (Bernhard Stark's estate). Further relevant holdings can be found in the Bischöfliches Zentralarchiv Regensburg (Regensburg Episcopal Central Archive) as well as in the Historischer Verein für Oberpfalz und Regensburg (Historical Association for Upper Palatinate and Regensburg). This fragmentation makes research on this important monastery considerably more difficult.
The holdings have been partly united in bavarikon. This collection contains manuscripts relating to St. Emmeram, such as records and chronicles, copies of charters, directories and correspondence by Frobenius Forster, Roman Zirngibl and Johann Baptist Kraus, among others, from the Staatliche Bibliothek Regensburg.
The estate from the Benedictine Bernhard Stark (1767-1839) comes from the Archäologische Staatssammlung as a deposit by the Historischer Verein für Oberbayern (Historical Association for Upper Bavaria). Stark joined the imperial monastery of St. Emmeram in 1788 and is regarded as a pioneer in the study of antiquity. His estate contains, among other things, compilations of Roman antiquities, inscriptions, antiques, etc. in and around Regensburg, which he produced from 1810 onwards on behalf of the royal Bavarian government.
The archival records concerning St. Emmeram from the archives of the Benedictine monastery in Metten consist, among other things, of three Emmeram priory diaries from 1768-1797.
The part collections of "St. Emmeram centre of science in Regensburg" available on bavarikon
>> The collection is part of the holdings of the the Staatliche Bibliothek Regensburg (Regensburg State Library), the Archäologische Staatssammlung München (Archaeological Collection of the Bavarian State) and the Benediktiner Abtei Metten (Benedictine Metten Abbey).