Swedish Literary Spoils of War in European Countries
The visualisation shows the number of surviving volumes in individual European countries. The largest proportion remains in Swedish libraries; however, a smaller share reached other countries over the centuries through changes of ownership, auctions, and donations. In German collections, books are also found as result of direct confiscations carried out by German commanders in Prague and Mikulov.
Swedish Literary Spoils of War in European Countries
The dissemination of books originating from the Czech literary spoils of war to more distant European regions was also facilitated by book auctions, most notably the auction of the Cathedral Library in Strängnäs in 1765. Transfers continued into the twentieth century. Recent research has identified items from the Czech spoils in sixteen European countries as well as beyond Europe.
Swedish Literary Spoils of War in European Countries
Swedish Literary Spoils of War in European Cities
The visualization shows the cities where these books are held and the corresponding quantities. The surviving volumes are found not only in major cultural and political centres such as Stockholm, the Vatican, and Copenhagen, but also in dozens of smaller European cities.
Swedish Literary Spoils of War in European Cities
Typological composition of surviving books
The chart shows the composition of the surviving books of the Swedish literary spoils of war, including manuscripts, incunabula, and sixteenth- and seventeenth-century printed books. For manuscripts, the degree of survival can be assessed with the greatest reliability, as nearly 1,000 volumes are known to have been transported to Sweden.