Library Annemarie Schimmel

On January 26, 2003, the Orientalist Annemarie Schimmel died in Bonn. Internationally, she was considered one of the most renowned scholars, perhaps the most important, that Germany has produced in the field of Islamic Studies in the recent past.

Annemarie Schimmel was born in Erfurt in 1922 and spent her youth there. Her first knowledge of Arabic was imparted to her by her Erfurt teacher Dr. Hans Ellenberg. More than half a century later, in 1997, she was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the newly founded University of Erfurt. Out of attachment to her hometown, she bequeathed part of her estate to the University of Erfurt.

Several thousand books from the University Library's collection now bear the Annemarie Schimmel ex libris. A special feature is the impressive collection of orders, honorary doctorates and other awards conferred on the Orientalist.

Cataloguing of the estate

in the Online Catalog (books)

in the Kalliope Union Catalog (for collections of personal papers, manuscripts, and publishers' archives)

Annemarie Schimmel, ExLibris

Contact us

Katrin Ott
Dr. Katrin Ott
Head of Special Collections
(Erfurt University Library)
C16 – library / 2. OG, Sonderlesesaal
+49 361 737-5880
sondersammlung.ub@uni-erfurt.de
Office hours
by arrangement

"I first learned about the breathtaking diversity of Islamic currents in history and the present through Ms. Schimmel's books. And perhaps others are in a similar position. Then we would all have some catching up to do in terms of understanding. We cannot allow ourselves to ignore the diversity of Islamic currents; that would ultimately mean only strengthening those who want to prevent differentiated thinking. So let's not talk up the uniform Islam that doesn't exist, but which would make it easier for political fundamentalists to do their business."

Roman Herzog: Laudatio on the occasion of the awarding of the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, Frankfurt a.M. 1995