Book
Sponsorships
The Austrian National Library has graciously provided a curated selection of domain-relevant book titles at the Blockchain Infrastructure Forum’s request to be provided to participants interested in donations that would sponsor the library’s collection preservation and also have the individual/organization’s donation formally etched and recorded into the Austrian National Libraries public records
As one of Europe’s oldest libraries, the Austrian National Library looks back to a history rich in tradition going as far as the 14th century. Its holdings of approximately 12 million objects are part of the UNESCO’s cultural heritage. In its eight Departments, the Austrian National Library, heir to the Habsburg court library, conserves a significant part of the world’s documentary heritage, like manuscripts, music autographs, incunabula, old printed works, historical maps and many more.
The former Imperial Court Library – or State Hall as we call it today – was commissioned by Emperor Charles VI and designed by the famous baroque architect Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful library halls in the world.
Book Adoption Campaign
Not only celebrities and business corporations around the globe, but also numerous private book lovers have adopted books, maps, globes, drawings, music manuscripts, papyri and other objects preserved by the Austrian National Library, thereby accepting responsibility for our cultural heritage.
As a book sponsor you help preserve the valuable holdings and to care for the future of the library’s extensive collections. Your donation helps us in rescuing badly damaged books and other objects, which urgently need conservation treatment.
You will receive a certificate with your name and the objects title on it. A book plate inscribed with your name will be attached to your item and will stay there forever. Our experts will be glad to present you your chosen object.
Notable Past Sponsors
Pope John Paul II
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Arnold Schwarzenegger
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Hillary & Bill Clinton
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John Williams
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Martin Scorsese
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Jacques Chirac
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Pope John Paul II 〰️ Arnold Schwarzenegger 〰️ Hillary & Bill Clinton 〰️ John Williams 〰️ Martin Scorsese 〰️ Jacques Chirac 〰️
Selected Items
ITEM CRYPT1
Johannes Trithemius: Steganographia, hoc est ars per occultam scripturam animi sui voluntatem absentibus aperiendi
Requested Donation:
1,000 Euros
Frankfurt am Main, 1608
Shelfmark: 73.Y.163 ALT PRUNK
In his book "Steganographia", the German monk and learned humanist Johannes Trithemius devoted himself to the subject of cryptography – only in such a veiled and mysterious way that only later scholars recognized its applicability for secret messages. To many of his contempories it seemed to be a work of demonic magic. As a result, Trithemius was suspected of sorcery. His book was included in the index of forbidden books of the Roman Inquisition for centuries, being taken off the index only in 1906.
Digitized Version: https://digital.onb.ac.at/OnbViewer/viewer.faces?doc=ABO_%2BZ164505503
ITEM CRYPT2
Siegmund Dullinger: Trithemivs Sviipsivs Vindex: Sive Steganographiae ... Trithemii ... Apologetica defensio ... Accessit ... Fragmentum Quaestionum eiusdem Trithemij
Requested Donation:
1,000 Euros
Ingolstadt, 1616
Shelfmark: 79.Cc.487 ALT PRUNK
The unfinished third part of Johannes Trithemius' "Steganographia" (see above) puzzled the scholars of his and the following generation. In it, the author treated the transmission of secret messages in supernatural ways, e.g. based on astrological calculations. In 1616, the learned abbot Siegmund Dullinger attempted to interpret this difficult text portion of the “Steganogaphia”.
The cover of Dullinger's book shows Trithemius at his desk, writing.
Digitized Version: https://digital.onb.ac.at/OnbViewer/viewer.faces?doc=ABO_%2BZ18065650X
ITEM CRYPT3
Athanasius Kircher: Polygraphia nova et universalis, ex combinatoria arte detecta (etc.) In tria syntagmata distributa
Requested Donation:
2,500 Euros
Rom, 1663
Shelfmark: 74.Q.56 ALT PRUNK
Apparently at the suggestion of Emperor Ferdinand III., the active polymath Athanasius Kircher developed a secret code that was intended to be suitable for international correspondence and was not based on a specific language. Kircher therefore developed a code that should be applicable to all languages (or the languages with which Kircher was familiar). For example, Italian text could be rendered into the code and a German speaking recipient would be able to translate the code into German text.
Digitized Version: https://digital.onb.ac.at/OnbViewer/viewer.faces?doc=ABO_%2BZ164579109
ITEM CRYPT4
Cryptographic letter from Giorgio Basta to Seyfried Kollonitz with attached translation in German
Requested Donation:
3,000 Euros
Eperies, 1605 (today Prešov/Slovakia)
Shelfmark: Autogr. 23/28-7 Han
Topic: war news and consultation on plans regarding occupation of Filleg
ITEM TECH1
Diez, Franz Maximilian: Allgemeines Post- Lauf- und Strassenbuch durch das ganze Heilige Römische Reich und einige angränzende Landen : mit der bey jeder Haupt und Handelsstadt bemerkten Ankunft und Abgang, sowohl reutend als fahrender K. Reichsposten ; auf das genaueste gesammlet und herausgegeben
Requested Donation:
1,000 Euros
Frankfurt, Main, 1790
Shelfmark: 364240-B KAR MAG KAR
Summary of all mail and messenger routes and roads in the whole Holy Roman Empire. Dedicated to Karl Alexander von Thurn und Taxis.
Digitized Version: http://digital.onb.ac.at/OnbViewer/viewer.faces?doc=ABO_%2BZ69805205
ITEM TECH2
Collection of different patents e.g. a transcription of a patent for telephone sets
Requested Donation:
1,000 Euros
Berlin, 1925-1929
Shelfmark: Autogr. 1894/14 Han
15 pages, incl. two drawings
ITEM TECH3
Expertise about the claims of the family Taxis and Paar about the imperial empire post office bureau including the history about the post office administration in the German Empire.
Requested Donation:
2,500 Euros
Austria, 1764
Shelfmark: Cod. Ser. n. 3972 Han
Writer unknown, recipient Emperor Franz I., 35 pages
Yes, I’d love to sponsor!
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