The transaction, which took place on March 19, was kept secret and made possible through a political agreement.
The purchase was made from the heirs of the last Zamoyski family heir, Jan Tomasz Zamoyski, who had entrusted the collection to the National Library after World War II.
Following the purchase, the National Library became the owner of an invaluable collection of Polish literary works.
Dr. Tomasz Makowski, Director of the National Library, emphasized that without the acquisition, the heirs could have sold off the most precious items, which would have been an irreplaceable loss to Polish culture.
The collection includes priceless works such as the 14th-century manuscript of Gall Anonim's Chronicle, the only known manuscript of Jan Kochanowski, and unique documents tied to Poland's history, including the UNESCO-listed Teki Górskiego and the Supraska Codex.
The oldest surviving manuscript of the Chronicle of Poland by Gall Anonim was displayed in 2016 at the Palace of the Republic, during an exhibition organized by the National Library; photo: PAP/Bartłomiej Zborowski
The purchase also enables the restitution of lost works scattered across the world, in countries like Russia, the U.S., and Germany. Additionally, the Zamoyski collection, built over centuries, contains national treasures like a lock of hair from Tadeusz Kościuszko and a feathered hat of Prince Józef Poniatowski.
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