Card collection

In accordance with the ULB’s remit, maps of Central Germany are collected as comprehensively as possible. Another key focus is on topographical maps of German territories and other European countries, as well as maps of the Middle East and North Africa. The collection comprises around 100,000 map sheets, 18,000 antique maps published before 1850, 850 world, national and thematic atlases, 250 historical wall maps for educational purposes, and 2,000 volumes of cartographic literature.

The origins of the map collection date back to the library’s early years at the end of the 17th century. The core of the collection was the estate of Prince Ludwig of Württemberg (1661–1698), which, in addition to books and manuscripts, also contained collections of maps and atlases.

Thanks to further donations from Daniel Ludolf von Danckelmann (1648–1709), the Councillor of War and Canon Schulz of Berlin, and from Johann August von Ponickau (1718–1802), the collection grew considerably, although part of the Ponickau donation was lost during the Second World War. The estate of Gustav August Heinrich, Baron von Lamotte (1752–1798), also contributed to its expansion.

From 1876 onwards, the collection was systematically expanded thanks to substantial funding for acquisitions, and after the Second World War, thousands of map collections were added from disbanded private and public libraries.