From the Shadows to the Light: Hebrew Books in the Memory of the National Library
The fate of Europe’s Jewish book heritage during and after World War II
The exhibition, ‘From Shadows to Light’, presents a selection from an extraordinary collection of nearly 700 Hebrew prints held in the National Library of the Czech Republic. Each of these books has a unique story behind it. The Nazis confiscated them from the libraries of Jewish communities and institutions across Europe. During the war, they were transported to the Czech Republic, where they lay forgotten for decades. Now, a team of Czech historians specialising in tracing confiscated Jewish property has succeeded in identifying the individual prints. They have discovered that the books originated in Olomouc, Munich, Vienna and Budapest, among other places. This exhibition introduces visitors to the stories behind each book, highlighting the challenges involved in tracing their original owners around the world. Visitors will also learn about pre-war Jewish book culture, Hebrew book printing and publishing traditions.
The exhibition will take place from 4 August to 4 October 4, 2026.
Galerie Klementinum
Mariánské nám. 190/5, 110 00 Praha 1