Die Wiener Hofbibliothek als Ungarische Nationalbibliothek

Abstract

The Hungarian research of the material of the Austrian National Library, including the Imperial Court Library, is an ongoing story about Hungary as well, however, the spectacular subjects (Bibliotheca Corvina, Johannes Sambucus, Hans Dernschwam) overshadowed the regularity. More recently, the role of Vienna as a center has even been investigated at a theoretical level.From the perspective of the Court Library, the habits of three social groups must also be taken into account when examining the development of Hungarian or Hungarian-related book collections. (1) The Viennese printers who published the books were interested in delivering their products to the court. (2) The Hungarian patrons, either wanting to prove that the modern court spirit influenced them as well, or keeping their reputation by maintaining an institutional collection – doing this out of boast or mere politeness. (3) But the most interesting is always the author. The intellectuals like to be near power – even when it's the hated power. The author, the publisher, wants to be known and to live in the spotlight (even if they suffers from it). Since the 16th century, we can always find Hungarian intellectuals living in Vienna, who were at home in the capital of the Empire, and were not immigrants from Hungary.The 21st century's digital ÖNB clearly shows the wealth it has in Hungarian books, and we could also say that it is one of the largest Hungarian digital libraries.