British Ambassador Jill Gallard visits Shakespeare Library

(left to right: Dr. Bettina Boecker, Dr. Elke Ritt, Prof. Dr. Hans van Ess, Simon Kendall, Jill Gallard;

behind: Henrike Höllein-Krause, Dr. Nikolina Hatton, Katharina Drobinski) (© Andrés Chuquisengo)

On September 20, 2023, the British Ambassador Jill Gallard CMG CVO visited LMU's Shakespeare Research Library. She was accompanied by Simon Kendall, the British Consul General in Munich, and Dr. Elke Ritt, Head of Arts at the British Council in Berlin. The guests were welcomed by Prof. Dr. Hans van Ess, Vice President for Research, and Dr. Bettina Boecker, the Managing Director/Executive Officer of the Shakespeare Library.

 (© Andrés Chuquisengo)

(© Andrés Chuquisengo)

 

During a guided tour of the facilities, Dr. Boecker provided insights into the history and various collection areas of the Shakespeare Library, the only institution of its kind on the European continent. Established in 1964, the library collects literature related to William Shakespeare (1564–1616) and his contemporaries. A particular focus within the collection is on the German reception of Shakespeare, including translations from its beginnings to the present day and an extensive theater archive.

In addition to the library's holdings, the guests had the opportunity to view selected archival materials in a temporary exhibition curated by the team of Prof. Dr. Claudia Olk, the Director of the Shakespeare Library. The Ambassador was particularly fascinated by the library's collection of rare books, which include original editions from the 18th and 19th centuries as well as illustrated luxury editions of Shakespeare's works.

(© Andrés Chuquisengo)

(© Andrés Chuquisengo)

(Ambassador Jill Gallard with Prof. Dr. Claudia Olk, Director of the Shakespeare Library

at the British Embassy in Berlin) (© privat)