Catalogue of the Manuscripts of the Univ. Library Innsbruck

A comprehesive description of Medieval and Renaissance manuscripts is of particular interest to the humanities but also for those studying theology, law and the history of natural sciences. To facilitate the exploitation of these sources comprehensive catalogues are of eminent importance. However, only a small part of the vast holdings are well documented and made available to researchers. The University Library of Innsbruck holds 1067 manuscripts of which about two thirds date back to the Middle Ages. So far there have only been two 19th century handwritten catalogues, which do not meet modern standards since they do not contain any detail about physical description, provenance or even exact contents. To remedy this situation a new cataloguing project was started in the 1970s using the detailed cataloguing rules of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. Two volumes were published in 1987 and 1991 respectively, volume 1 containing descriptive entries for manuscripts 1 - 100 and volume 2 for manuscripts 101 - 200. Since 1994 the continuation of the catalogue takes place under the auspices of the FWF. A third volume containing the entries for manuscripts 201 - 300 (FWF-Project P10591-HIS) appeared 1999, the fourth volume for manuscripts 301 - 400 (FWF-Project P13282-ARS) appeared 2005, the fifth volume (FWF-Project P16287-G06) will be finished in 2006. A continuation of these generally high accepted catalogues (cf. the evaluation of the Academy resp. of the Commission of Paleography and Codicology of Medieval Mauscripts 2002) seems to be of great importance. This new project is to deal with the description of manuscripts 501 - 700 in two volumes. As is the case with the former volumes of the catalogue special emphasis will be laid on the history and provenance of each individual manuscript. Two indices, one index of the text beginnings and another of authors, place names, titles and subjects will also be included. The work will be complemented by a separate cumulative table of all dated manuscripts.

The primary object of the project "Handschriftenkatalog der ULBT Innsbruck" (Catalogue of Manuscripts of the University and State Library of the Tyrol in Innsbruck) is the systematic study and scientific indexing of its entire manuscripts collection and the publication in printed catalogues. The library holds a precious cultural heritage of more than 1000 important and highly valuable manuscripts. However, the scientific investigation of the collection has only been fragmentary until in 1973 the named project set off to publish a catalogue which complies to today`s scientific standards based on the guidelines of the "Kommission für Schrift- und Buchwesen des Mittelalters" of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. Like other Austrian catalogues, the publication is part of the "Denkschriften" of the Academy. The first two volumes of the Catalogue (Ms 1-200) were edited in course of the author`s activities in the Department of manuscripts of the Innsbruck University Library. From 1991 on it proved impossible to maintain this work as part of the regular workflow of the department, hence the third as well as the following volumes were accomplished in course of consequent FWF projects (vol. 3 = FWF P10591; vol. 4 = FWF P13282; vol. 5 = FWF P16287). The project FWF P18856, started 1.6.2006 and completed 30.4.2010, presents the sixth and seventh volume of the catalogue and comprises the codices 501 700. As with previous volumes, the project was directed by Walter Neuhauser (former director of the University Library of Innsbruck until 1998). The members of the project team were with different extent of employment Dr. Daniela Mairhofer (1.6.2006-31.10.2007), MMag. Claudia Schretter (1.6.2006-31.5.2009), Dr. Ursula Stampfer (1.10.2006-31.10.2009) and Mag. Petra Ausserlechner (1.1.2008- 28.2.2010). The indexing took account of 183 manuscripts, one manuscript got lost many years ago and 16 manuscripts had to be handed over to Italy after World War I. The main focus in content of these manuscripts is theological; however, there are numerous manuscripts on history and law; in addition, there are some of medical and mathematical content and itineraries. In contrast to the former catalogues, this time early modern manuscripts appear more frequently. Some manuscripts are of special interest: Jörg Rugen`s armorial manuscript (Ms 545), four autographs with translations into early Modern High German by the Carthusian monk Heinrich Haller (Ms 618, 626, 635, 641) and two gothic Bibles of French origin (Ms 656 and 657). In the course of disclosuring of the contents for the huge amount of anonymously traded texts a major task was the ascription to authors and the relevation of parallel traditions. Furthermore, the design of the manuscripts was analysed (structure of the manuscript, script and writer, decoration, binding). As a contribution to library history in the Tyrol, special importance was given to the history of each book. The object, publishing in the "Denkschriften", is achieved within the term, vol. 6 is edited as vol. 375 of the "Denkschriften" 2009, the printing of vol. 7 was approved in June 2010. In both volumes, a CD-Rom is included, containing the whole text, illustrations on book paintings and script samples. Due to the rich variety of the manuscripts these volumes will be of high interest for medievists in general, for theologians, historians, art historians, codicologists as well as natural scientists.