Dorota Sidorowicz-Mulak

Księgozbiór Grzegorza Ignacego Szadbeja (1796-1839) w Bibliotece Ossolineum

Introduction

Księgozbiór grzegorza ignacego szadbeja (1796-1839) w bibliotece ossolineum. Poznaj księgozbiór Grzegorza Ignacego Szadbeja (1796-1839), ormiańskiego prawnika i poety ze Lwowa, podarowany Ossolineum. Zawiera literaturę, prawo, ekonomię i medycynę.

Abstract

THE BOOK COLLECTION OF GRZEGORZ IGNACY SZADBEJ (1796-1839) IN THE OSSOLINEUM LIBRARYThe article presents the book collection of Grzegorz Ignacy Szadbej (1796-after 1839), an Armenian lawyer and poet active in Lviv. Before commiting suicide, he donated his entire collection to the Ossolineum Library. This gift included publications representing fiction and law as well as economic and medical guides. It was Szadbej’s private library, primarily helping him in his professional work and assisting in development of interests and writing skills. In 1946, the collection was divided between the National Ossolineum Library in Wrocław and Wasyl Stefanyk Lviv National Scientific Library of Ukraine.

Review

This article promises a valuable contribution to the fields of library history, intellectual history, and the study of private collections in Central and Eastern Europe. By focusing on the book collection of Grzegorz Ignacy Szadbej, an Armenian lawyer and poet active in Lviv during the early 19th century, the research sheds light on the personal library of an individual whose life ended tragically. The abstract clearly outlines the genesis of the collection's presence at the Ossolineum Library—a significant historical institution—and details the diverse nature of Szadbej's intellectual pursuits, ranging from fiction and law to economic and medical guides. Such detailed examination of a specific personal library provides crucial insights into the reading habits, professional needs, and intellectual landscape of the period. The study's strengths lie in its specific focus and historical context. The abstract effectively highlights Szadbej's motivations for building his library, indicating its dual role in supporting his professional work and fostering his personal interests and writing skills. This granular approach to understanding a private collection offers a window into the intellectual life of a specific individual and, by extension, the broader cultural milieu of Lviv. Furthermore, the mention of the collection's post-WWII division between the National Ossolineum Library in Wrocław and the Wasyl Stefanyk Lviv National Scientific Library of Ukraine adds a compelling dimension of institutional history and the complex fates of cultural heritage in the region, which is often overlooked in broader narratives. Overall, this research is significant for its potential to enrich our understanding of historical private libraries and their owners, the development of major archival institutions like the Ossolineum, and the intellectual landscape of diverse communities in historical Lviv. The article likely offers more than just a catalog; it promises a narrative that intertwines personal biography with the history of books and libraries. Researchers in bibliography, cultural history, and Slavic studies will find this an informative and well-situated piece, contributing to the growing body of literature on intellectual life in 19th-century Eastern Europe and the enduring legacy of private collections within public institutions.

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