Examining Cultural Heritage: The Post-1945 Impact on Book Movements

The Role of the V&A Research Institute in Cultural Heritage

The V&A Research Institute, alongside its National Art Library and Archives, emphasizes the significance of provenance research, diving into the lives of objects within its collections. A conference scheduled for November 20-21, 2025, aims to extend this commitment, focusing on books and archives as both cultural heritage artefacts and conduits of information.

Contextualizing the Conference

This conference arises from ongoing efforts to scrutinize the provenance of the National Art Library’s collections, particularly those acquired during the tumultuous years of the Second World War. The conflict and subsequent events spurred an immense dislocation of books in Europe from 1933 to 1945, with estimates of displaced volumes reaching into the hundreds of millions. This situation presents a rich study of bibliomigrancy, moving beyond mere redistribution to examine the complex cultural and financial values assigned to these books.

Defining Bibliomigrancy and Its Significance

While acknowledging the profound suffering caused by successive displacements, the conference will delve into the formation of new networks for book movement post-1945. The havoc wrought by war shattered existing continental book stocks, laying the groundwork for new, intricate transnational relationships. Out of the upheaval, evaluative and distribution frameworks were not only restored but also expanded. The conference seeks to reveal how governmental, charitable, and individual initiatives interacted within this chaotic period, each playing a role in reshaping the meaning of literature.

Areas of Exploration

Submissions are invited to illuminate various facets of this intricate narrative, with potential topics including:

• Government and Inter-Governmental Exchanges: The dynamics of state-backed acquisition of books beyond their pre-1945 contexts.
• Postwar Library Developments: Initiatives by governmental and military bodies to establish new libraries.
• Case Studies: Insights into individual sellers, collectors, and their interactions with national and research libraries during this period of upheaval.
• Agents of Influence: The role of antiquarian book dealers and auction houses in shaping book distribution.
• Objects of Contention: Examination of the ethical implications surrounding seized or stolen books and fluctuations in market prices.

Submitting Your Research

Proposals for 20-minute papers are welcomed, particularly from early career researchers. Interested parties are encouraged to engage in preliminary discussions before submitting their abstracts, which can be sent to the indicated email address.

Keep in mind, the deadline for submitting abstracts is May 27, 2025, with notifications sent out by June 4, 2025.

Why This Matters

The exploration of post-1945 bibliomigrancy provides critical insights into cultural mobility and heritage. Understanding how books, once displaced, became entwined in new narratives is crucial for grasping broader historical contexts. Moreover, although reviews and feedback from existing research are invaluable, nothing can truly surpass the insights gleaned from personal experience.

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Réflexions finales

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