An exhibition curated by Oldenburg Professor of German Studies Detlef Haberland at the State Library is dedicated to the theme of the literary garden until 16 August. Entitled "Gardens in Romantic Literature", the show takes the 200th anniversary of the castle gardens as an opportunity to open up a unique chapter in German literary and cultural history in three stations: a "historical garden" uses garden books and illustrations to outline the development of the perception of nature and garden design from the 17th to the 19th century. The "Garden of Experiences and Feelings" confronts the viewer with central statements of Romantic poetry and invites comparison with our present day. Finally, the "Garden of Poets" uses rare and valuable first editions to show the diverse literary design of this theme.
"Visitors can get an idea of the development of garden theory from the Renaissance garden to the English park as well as read the literary side in the numerous open and explained passages in novels, stories and poems," says Haberland.
Such a quantity of literary rarities will not be brought together in one exhibition again so quickly, emphasises the curator: first editions of Romantic literature from Novalis to E.T.A Hoffmann are, with a few exceptions, very rare and often precious. It was correspondingly difficult to obtain the loans - from Berlin, Göttingen, Hanover and Frankfurt/Main, among others. One of the state library's own exhibits is an "extraordinary treasure": the "Andeutungen über Landschaftsgärtnerei" by Hermann Fürst von Pückler-Muskau from 1834. This work with a volume of text and an oversized folder with 44 large-format lithographs is probably only available in the original in very few libraries in Germany.
Admission to the exhibition is free. It can be viewed from Monday to Friday between 10 am and 7 pm and on Saturdays from 9 am to 12 noon.