Lichtgedanken 02

S C HW E R P U N K T 29 02 | LICHT GEDANKEN P U N through the bonded paper and the ma- jority of the moisture removed. Finally, the entire paper is coated with starch paste to fix the fibres and protect them from further decay. The entire procedure of converting the tattered, brittle printed sheet back into a sturdy sheet of paper, has barely taken ten minutes. »The final steps are to dry press the paper and cut off the excess fibres at the edges of the original paper,« Annett Blumenthal ex- plains as we leave the workshop again. I already know the steps that come later from Susanne Kull: pressing, stitching, binding and the Luther volume can be returned to the storeroom. Reformation anniversaries from former times On the way outside, I make a detour back to the exhibition. On our tour, Joa- chim Ott had drawn my attention to one display case in which specimens of a much more recent date are shown. The- se are anniversary writings composed for earlier major anniversaries of the Re- formation. Even in 1617, the university and Church in Jena celebrated a six-day festival to commemorate 100 years of the Reformation. The occasion of the major European upheaval was also mar- ked in 1717, 1817 and 1917. What will be presented here in 100 years, on the 600th anniversary of the nailing of Luther’s Theses? Who knows. But one thing seems to me to be certain: The books from Luther’s pen and bea- ring his signature, stored and preserved here in the ThULB, will still be in good condition – thanks to the work of the restorers, skilled craftsmanship and the latest technology. Photo above: Restorer Annett Blumenthal prepares the historical folios for the fibre bonding process. Cellulose fibres are washed into the bonding bath (photo center) and fill in the gaps in the paper. Photo below: The restored pages are then dried, freshly cut and stitched. F E AT U R E