1. Wincenty Pol – About the Schaffgotsch Library
Wincenty Pol – About the Schaffgotsch Library
(description from 1874)
“To the eldest of Silesian history the Schaffgotsch library assembled at the Cistercian monastery is what the Ossolineum is to the historical heritage of Poland as a whole. Fifty thousand works are held within this library, not counting the manuscripts, the volume of which even now is impossible to count as the library keeps only a general catalogue of the manuscripts, and the current librarian dr. Burghardt has not yet the time to assemble new catalogues in a way that would satisfy the needs modern historical research. Newer manuscripts and brochures are most often accumulated under some unspecific names and those from certain eras are bound into volumes, from here as I stand it is hard to say what is held within them. The assortment of theology and history is the largest in the library, as for our old literature, namely one written in Latin, the library retains an assortment of all classical editions and the oldest of prints.
Before I venture any further, I shall describe to you the arrangement of the library’s collection. As I previously mentioned, the library is situated within the Cistercian monastery, of which it occupies the upper floors. Around the edifice you shall walk around through the hallways to which the book filled chambers, the family armory, and the mineralogical collection are attached.
The mineralogical collection is systematically sorted and very plentiful, especially when it comes to the exceptionally beautiful crystal collection. In total there are about twelve thousand minerals, although this collection does not reflect the geological deposits of the Riesengebirge for it was not accumulated for that purpose (…).
The armory is situated in a different vaulting, built specifically for that very purpose. It contains heirlooms from the ages of chivalry, still possessing historical value, for each armor has its own captivating accounts – and yes, the armory also contains banners from the religious wars and bunchuks from the battle of Vienna, cannons, beautifully ornate with sculpture, that travelled across all Germany during the Thirty Years’ War, the executioner’s sword by which Johann Ulrich von Schaffgotsch was cut down in Regensburg on the 23rd of July 1635, the imperial banners taken from the Turks and many other spoils seized from them, be they ornate saddles, maces, sadaks, or Turkish karabelas.
The collection of exceptionally old rifles and harquebuses, often very intricately and richly inlaid, is supposedly the most valuable part of the armory. We were also shown a small cavalry knife intricately lined with ivory which was given to Schaffgotsch by Jan III during the Battle of Vienna for marking himself in battle.
At the center of the armory stands an ancient table surrounded by stools from the 16th century, and on it, lies a memoir signed by the tourists visiting this establishment. On two opposite walls are, painted with oil and decorated with flags, “two ancestral trees”, one of the Schaffgotsch family, and the other of the Piast dynasty. Next to the former there are original documents framed behind glass, namely:
1. An oath from Wallenstein’s generals, that they shall not surrender till the last drop of their blood and they shall defend any cause backed by him, Dan at Pilsen (Bohemia) on the day of 12th January 1634.
2. A protocol from Wallenstein’s general, in which each of them testifies and personally signs, explaining why the oath was written and that they did not have any ill intent towards their rightful lord in mind, Dan at Pilsen on the day of 19th February 1634.
3. A declaration by Wallenstein and his generals. (…)
4. A description of how on the 22nd February Wallenstein left Pilsen and went towards Eger, where he was killed on the night of 25th February 1634.
All of those documents were the originals and count Schaffgotsch said that he intends to issue copies of them, aside from many original letters from Wallenstein’s generals and Johann Ulrich von Schaffgotsch which explain Wallenstein’s circumstance. Somewhere between those letters is the one written by the latter moments before his death, already bound with a mourning seal.
It feels rather bizarre to experience the history of a family, whose fates were intertwined with such great historical incidents, especially when we look upon the personalities drawn by their hand or the armors and weaponry by which they were slain.”