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Twenty-seven volumes by the Brothers Grimm have turned up in a Polish university library, and researchers say the books may have been moved there during post-war relocations of library collections. How they remained hidden from scholars and readers for nearly 80 years remains unanswered.
Jacob Grimm (1785–1863) and Wilhelm Grimm (1786–1859) were German writers and scholars. They collected, edited, and published folk tales that became famous under the name “The Brothers Grimm.” Among their best-known tales are “Hansel and Gretel,” “Mother Holle,” “The Bremen Town Musicians,” “Tom Thumb,” “Snow White,” and “The Frog Prince.” Their legacy also includes legends, novellas, and other folk narratives.
Many of the brothers’ books were considered lost after World War II. So the discovery of this rare collection in the university library’s storage is a major find for scholars. Experts say these editions are valuable for studying the methods the brothers used: the pages include handwritten underlines, notes, and annotations, Heritage Daily reports.
“For a long time, people believed the volumes in the university library were lost during World War II. These editions are important for contemporary research into the brothers’ literary and scholarly work,” said researchers at the university.
Researchers say the find suggests the library’s collections may hide other bibliographic treasures.
