THE LIBRARY IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

In 1922, the reading room was moved to the new wing of the old building of the Kunsthalle. The furnishings, now preserved under the historic monuments scheme, were designed by Fritz Schumacher. During the transfer to the new wing, the library was completely reorganised.

In 1925, the library acquired the stock of the University Department of Art-History, together with the greater part of the library of August Kalkmanns, a classical scholar and friend of Aby Warburg. However, the stock of the Kunsthalle remains separate from that of the Department of Art-History, whose strength lies in architecture.

During the period of National Socialism, government funding was reduced to a minimum, so the library's stock grew mostly through donations. During World War II part of the stock was evacuated, but already in the Autumn of 1945 the library was moved back into the Kunsthalle. Part of the stock was, however, lost or damaged. Since then the library has grown to more than 165 000 publications.