Royal Danish Ministry gives rare artistic gift to University Library

By: Laura Stakal

Posted: 2/2/01

Last week the University Library received a book entitled "Danish Jewish Art - Jews in Danish Art," as a gift from the Royal Danish Ministry of Education and Denmark's International Study Program.

The book is a 590-page illustrated rarity.

According to a recent press release, the gift places WIU among 14 libraries in America to have a copy of this reference book, including the Library of Congress and the National Gallery of Art.

In 1998 WIU's Travel and Study Abroad program and the DIS signed a reciprocal exchange agreement, allowing WIU students to study a variety of liberal arts programs taught in English at the University of Copenhagen.

James Huesmann, dean of the library, feels that this gift will be very beneficial to WIU students.

"It's a beautiful work, very rare because there are only 14 copies in the U.S. and only one other in Illinois. I think it makes a definite impact when students are doing research on ethnic topics," he said.

In a letter accompanying the book, the organizations' administrators Dinah Bechshofi and Anders Uhrskov wrote, "Both the Danish Ministry of Education and DIS have long been committed to the promotion of international education and understanding.

"It is our hope that your institution may use this large and magnificently illustrated book as a resource for students, faculty, and other scholars to gain a deeper understanding of an important part of Danish and Jewish history and culture," they added.

According to a recent press release, the book, edited by Mirjan Gelfer-Jorgensen, represents the cooperation between 12 Danish and international researchers and art historians throughout the past eight years, with much of the research and most illustrations published for the first time.

"The history of Danish Jews is known to many in the U.S. because of the escape of the vast majority of the Danish Jews from the Nazi-occupied Denmark to Sweden in October 1943," Bechsoft and Uhrskov wrote.

Linda Stickney-Taylor, dean of WIU's School of Extended and Continuing Education, feels that this book is a beneficial and important donation.

"We are honored to receive this beautiful book and to donate it to the WIU library for use by members of the University and surrounding communities," she said.

According to Huesmann, "Danish Jewish Art - Jews in Danish Art" will be available for all WIU students to check out from the library.