Bìblìotečnij vìsnik (Jan 2023)
Confiscation of Publications from library collections in post-war Germany: prerequisites, criteria, issues, experience for Ukraine
Abstract
The purpose of the article is an analysis of the content, prerequisites and historical circumstances of Order No. 4 "Confiscation of Literature and Material of a Nazi and Militarist Nature" issued by the Allied Control Council in occupied Germany (May 1946); and an evaluation of the German experience for the Ukrainian libraries. Methodologyis based on the use of both general research (historical, comparative) and special research methods: bibliographic, synchronistic and descriptive. Research contribution. For the first time the denazification of library collections in Germany after 1945 is considered against the process of weeding the collections of Ukrainian public libraries from Russian and pro-Russian chauvinist and anti-Ukrainian literature; and the main provisions of the allied Order are analyzed. Conclusions. The Order dispite criticism served to streamline the work of denazification of library collections in post-war Germany and unified the requirements and criteria for removing such publications. It is proposed partly as a model for Ukrainian libraries in their work with the collection of anti-Ukrainian and chauvinistic publications. For us, the interaction between authorities, libraries and the public, demonstrated in those times, is worthy of attention and borrowing. After all, the public’s attention was drawn to the process of library cleaning, the mass media were involved, librarians were active. The learned experience has shown that the categories of publications that are subject to removal from Ukrainian libraries should be more clearly defined, and the lists of the State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine, given in parag. 2 and 3 of the Recommendations of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine must be regularly renewed at least until to the end of the war.
