Elisabeth Kaiser, the federal minister responsible for the eastern states, sharply criticized the decision by Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer to halt the planned expansion of the German National Library (Deutsche Nationalbibliothek, DNB) at its Leipzig site. “It is incomprehensible that the already planned expansion has now been stopped” Kaiser told reporters on Friday, adding that the decision should be reconsidered.
For Kaiser, safeguarding cultural heritage is paramount. She highlighted that the DNB’s core mission-to collect media works-constitutes a vital pillar of society, and that the library also promotes freedom of information and opinion, thereby strengthening democracy. She pointed out that, in light of the ongoing debate over the Bookdealer Prize, she hopes the values conveyed by literature will receive greater weight and that Leipzig’s legacy as a book city will be more fully appreciated.
The DNB is one of the world’s largest libraries, operating from its two locations in Frankfurt (Main) and Leipzig. It collects, documents and archives all written, visual and audio works published in or about Germany-or in German-since 1913. Publishers are legally required to deliver two physical copies and one online copy of every publication to the library. The database receives about 13,100 media works daily, which translates into roughly 6.1 kilometres of new shelf space each year.
In 2018, plans were set in motion to build an extension that would accommodate around 35.5 million media works. This new space would also host collections currently housed in a climatologically unsuitable old building, ensuring their long‑term preservation. Minister Weimer justified the halt by citing the federal budget situation; however, the DNB argues that pursuing alternative solutions would also incur significant costs.
