27 unique volumes of Brothers Grimm fairy tales discovered in Poland

27 unique volumes of Brothers Grimm fairy tales discovered in Poland 2 May, 02:07 PM The cover page of an original edition of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales (Photo:Public Domain)

Researchers discovered 27 original volumes containing the lost works of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm in the library of the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Polish science news outlet Nauka w Polske reported on May 2.

The Brothers Grimm, who collected, committed to paper, and popularized many German folk tales, are considered some of the most famous folklorists in the world.

A number of their works were considered to be permanently lost following World War 2.

However, recent research at the Adam Mickiewicz University Library led to an unexpected discovery — specialists managed to find 27 original volumes with rare prints and unique editions. All of them are a valuable resource for researchers.

Video of day

The volumes are contain a large number of footnotes by the authors, making them an even more important find.

Presumably, the books were brought to the university library in Poznań in the post-war period, following the evacuation of many priceless literary works during the war.

This discovery suggests that other libraries may also contain works from the Brothers Grimm's private collection.

The news of this important historical discovery has caused considerable interest among literary researchers and folklorists, who can now more fully explore the legacy of the Brothers Grimm and their influence on world literature.

Will you support Ukraine’s free press? Dear reader, as all news organizations, we must balance the pressures of delivering timely, accurate, and relevant stories with requirements to fund our business operations. As a Ukrainian-based media, we also have another responsibility – to amplify Ukraine’s voice to the world during the crucial moment of its existence as a political nation. It’s the support of our readers that lets us continue doing our job. We keep our essential reporting free because we believe in our ultimate purpose: an independent, democratic Ukraine. If you’re willing to support Ukraine, consider subscribing to our Patreon starting from 5$ per month. We are immensely grateful.

Please help us continue fighting Russian propaganda. Truth can be hard to tell from fiction these days. Every viewpoint has its audience of backers and supporters, no matter how absurd. If conscious disinformation is reinforced by state propaganda apparatus and budget, its outcomes may become deadly. There is no solution to this, other than independent, honest, and accurate reporting. We remain committed to empowering the Ukrainian voice to push against the muck. If you’re willing to stand up for the truth – consider supporting us on Patreon starting from 5$ per month. Thank you very much.

Will you help tell Ukraine’s story to the world? Twenty years ago, most people hadn’t even heard of Ukraine. Today, the country is on everyone’s lips and everyone’s headlines. War pushed us on the front page. But there are many other things we do that we are proud of – from music and culture to technology. We need your help to tell the world Ukrainian story of resilience, joy, and survival. If you’re willing to back our effort, consider supporting us on Patreon starting from 5$ per month. We are immensely grateful.