It supports the construction of the new building for the College for Jewish Studies in Heidelberg and creates a symbolic cultural memory: the virtual library on German-Jewish History of the Arts. The website which invites visitors to become book sponsors is now online.

The support committee chaired by Hubert Burda and Salomon Korn celebrated the web library’s launch last Tuesday at Villa Bosch in Heidelberg. Guests included writer Hans Magnus Enzensberger, SAP co-founder Klaus Tschira and manager Henning Schulte-Noelle.

"The Virtual Library is a present to the College for Jewish Studies in Heidelberg. Everybody can be a part of it and get involved,” explained Hubert Burda. As the first book sponsor, the publisher decided to sign several books, including Franz Kafka’s "The Trial", Elias Canetti’s "Auto Da Fe” and critic Marcel Reich-Ranicki’s memoirs.

The library gives people the chance to experience the German-Jewish history of the arts and is also meant as a contribution to strengthening the dialog. Visitors to the website can chose their favorite book from 1,500 works in the online library and become a sponsor by donating an amount between 100 and 400 Euros.

Each sponsored book is a symbol of Jewish poets, thinkers, musicians, painters and writers who have left a mark on cultural life in Germany. Sponsors fill the library with literary treasures and support the college in building the new home.

The foundation stone for the new building was laid in April. It is located downtown and will unite eight departments with the respective lecture halls and seminar rooms as well as a library and the central archive for research on the history of the Jews in Germany. The college which regards itself as a “home of Jewish intellectual life” was founded in 1979 and plans to move to the new home by the end of 2009.

Join us and become a book sponsor: With a donation of 100 Euros or more, you can sign your favorite book and support the college.