A press release describing the donation of some 2,500 manuscripts to the Library of the Ossoliński National Institute in Lviv. As stated in the article, this is one of the largest private collections in Poland, collected by Dr Czołowski, who has now donated it to the Library. Manuscripts date as far back as the end of the 13th century (e.g. the chronicle of Marcin Polak) (Source: "Ilustrowany Kurier Codzienny", Kraków 1936, no. 146, p. 13, after: Małopolska Biblioteka Cyfrowa).

A modernised reading of the text

A wonderful gift for the Ossoliński National Institute

Dr Aleksander Czołowski donated a valuable collection of manuscripts. From Lviv reports (C): On Sunday, the 24th of this month, the Director of the Archives and Museum of the City of Lviv, Dr. Aleksander Czołowski, performed the act of donating his magnificent collection of 2,500 manuscripts to the Library of the Ossolineum National Institute in Lviv. This collection, probably one of the largest private collections in Poland, was created by the efforts of one man.

From his earliest youth, Dr Czołowski had been collecting relics of national culture, possessed by a noble passion as a collector and, above all, a desire to save perishing witnesses of history from extinction and destruction. Many years of experience, profound knowledge, thorough historical knowledge, and a nevertheless fortunate hand allowed the donor to gather a huge collection of manuscripts in a quiet house at No. 7 Wronowska St., which he has now donated to the Ossolineum, thus making the treasure available to the Polish scientific world.

The donated manuscripts go back chronologically to the end of the 13th century (the chronicle of Marcin Polak) and include historical and archival material up to recent times. They include Teutonic statutes from the 15th century, treasury books, diaries, diaries, 'Silva rerum' and so on. Another large section is Galician, i.e. materials on the history of former Galicia, as well as a priceless collection of inventories and descriptions of magnate castles and palaces, treasuries and libraries.

Summaries and inventories of estates and properties, numbering some 60 fascicules, materials on the history of churches, monasteries and Orthodox churches, a great number of town books, salt mines, etc., complete the collection, which is excellent material for political, economic and cultural history, sightseeing and the history of noble families, especially in the Czerwienska region, Podolia, Volhynia and Ukraine. The Department's collection of manuscripts, which already numbers almost 10,000 issues, has been superbly enriched by Dr Czołowski's gift. In turn, the donor himself becomes a well-deserved patron of the Ossolineum National Institute.