Despite special precautions, archives, libraries, museums and other cultural institutions are not immune to disasters - as recently as July, water penetrated a stacks of the Berlin Central and State Library and damaged part of the collection of books, magazines and records. In order to save valuable, often unique objects from decay, action must be taken quickly. The new emergency container procured by the Württemberg State Library, the Institute for the Preservation of Archive and Library Materials of the Baden-Württemberg State Archive and the Ludwigsburg district fire department is intended to help with the initial care of such cultural treasures. This makes Baden-Württemberg the second federal state to have such a mobile workshop. In it, books, archive materials, works of art and more can be quickly recorded, cleaned and safely packed after an accident - the prerequisite for successful restoration at a later date.
"The emergency container provides the five emergency networks of cultural institutions in Baden-Württemberg with a high-performance infrastructure for the recovery of valuable cultural assets. As thoughtful as it is that a large amount of private funds had to be used for this, the Württemberg State Library is grateful to Robert Matzek, a long-time member of its Friends' Association, without whose legacy this acquisition would not have been possible," says Dr. Rupert Schaab, Director of the Württemberg State Library. The Württembergische Bibliotheksgesellschaft is covering the majority of the costs, which will be covered by funds from an inheritance from Robert Matzek. The remaining costs will be covered by the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts, the Coordination Office for the Preservation of Written Cultural Heritage (KEK) in Berlin and the Baden-Württemberg State Archives. The cost of purchasing the container is around 250,000 euros.
The team from the Institute for the Preservation of Archive and Library Materials, an institution of the Baden-Württemberg State Archives, will ensure that the mobile workshop, which is equipped with water, electricity, tools, cleaning equipment, packaging material and other necessary items including protective clothing, is ready for use. "Our colleagues have extensive expertise in securing and protecting cultural treasures of all kinds. This enables them to help prevent endangered objects from being irretrievably lost in an emergency," says Carmen Kschonsek, Deputy President of the Baden-Württemberg State Archives.
The container will initially be housed in Ludwigsburg and can be requested via the fire department emergency number 112 if required. The fire department will then immediately bring the roll-off container to the site and take care of the water and power supply. "The roll-off container for cultural heritage protection is a valuable addition to our emergency response. This innovative, mobile system enables the rapid and efficient initial supply of cultural assets in the event of a disaster - not only for our region, but for the whole of Baden-Württemberg and beyond. It is an important and effective tool for preserving our rich cultural heritage in the face of increasing extreme weather events," says Dietmar Allgaier, District Administrator of the Ludwigsburg district. Staff from the Institute for the Preservation of Archives and Library Materials and the Württemberg State Library will provide technical guidance for the work in the container. The workstations will be manned by specially trained staff from the cultural institutions. Appropriate training will take place over the next few months.
State Secretary for the Arts Arne Braun says: "What actually happens to cultural assets and works of art in the event of flooding or other disasters, when help needs to be targeted and rescued quickly? Irreplaceable values are often in danger of being lost forever. And for this we need practical help, such as the emergency container we are now helping to finance. The state government is aware of its responsibility for the state's magnificent cultural heritage. The emergency associations in the state provide the necessary logistical support. As a ministry, we are very happy to support this exemplary project and make the emergency container possible - incidentally only the second of its kind in Germany." Dr. Ursula Hartwieg, Head of the Coordination Office for the Preservation of Written Cultural Heritage (KEK) at the Berlin State Library, also supports the initiative in Baden-Württemberg: "Natural disasters not only threaten people and infrastructure, but also our written cultural heritage. That's why we need concrete, preventative protective measures. The container is an important component of coordinated emergency preparedness in Baden-Württemberg and beyond. It is an example of how the federal government, states and institutions can work together to protect cultural assets."
