Archiwum Państwowe w Poznaniu może poszczycić się wartościową kolekcją starodruków z dawnej biblioteki kościoła św. Jana w Lesznie. Książki wraz z dokumentami archiwalnymi stanowią integralną część zespołu Akt Braci Czeskich. Ze względu na burzliwe dzieje Jednoty, które zostały tu zarysowane, zabytki piśmiennictwa uległy w znacznej mierze rozproszeniu. Wskazano miejsca w Europie, a szczególnie w Polsce, gdzie można szukać źródeł do dziejów braci czeskich. Materiały przechowywane w Archiwum Państwowym w Poznaniu, szczególnie rękopisy, tworzą chyba największy zbiór pism wytworzonych i zgromadzonych przez braci czeskich. O ile opracowanie archiwaliów ukończono w 1977 r., o tyle materiały biblioteczne, które przywiezione zostały po II wojnie światowej z Herrnhut w dwóch drewnianych skrzyniach, funkcjonują nadal bez jakiegokolwiek katalogu. W przeszłości podejmowane były próby utworzenia repertorium, lecz dopiero w 2011 r. prace nad katalogiem starych druków Archiwum Państwowego w Poznaniu nabrały tempa. Przypuszczalnie katalog będzie gotowy w połowie 2016 r., ale już teraz można częściowo scharakteryzować archiwalne starodruki, i właśnie tej problematyce poświęcono największą część artykułu.

Archive old prints – the unknown part of the Unity of Brethren Acts 

The National Archive in Poznan is the proud owner of a valuable collection of old prints from the old library of St. John’s parish in Leszno. The books, along with archive documents, are the core element of the Unity of Brethren Acts. Due to the turbulent history of the Unity, which is outlined here, written heritage was, to a large extent, scattered. Some places in Europe, particularly in Poland, were pointed out as possible locations where source material for the history of the Unity can be found. The materials kept in the National Archive in Poznań (in particular the manuscripts) are probably the largest group of writings created and gathered by the Unity of Brethren. Although the examination of the archives was finished in 1977, the library publications, which were brought after the Second World War from Herrnhut in two wooden chests, still have not been classified. In the past, there were attempts to create a register, but it was only in 2011 that the work on the catalogue of the old prints in the National Archive in Poland gathered pace. The catalogue is probably going to be ready in mid-2016, but it is already possible to partially describe the archive old prints and this is the main focus of this article.

The National Archive in Poznan is the proud owner of a valuable collection of old prints from the old library of St. John’s parish in Leszno. The books, along with archive documents, are the core element of the Unity of Brethren Acts. Due to the turbulent history of the Unity, which is outlined here, written heritage was, to a large extent, scattered. Some places in Europe, particularly in Poland, were pointed out as possible locations where source material for the history of the Unity can be found. The materials kept in the National Archive in Poznań (in particular the manuscripts) are probably the largest group of writings created and gathered by the Unity of Brethren. Although the examination of the archives was finished in 1977, the library publications, which were brought after the Second World War from Herrnhut in two wooden chests, still have not been classified. In the past, there were attempts to create a register, but it was only in 2011 that the work on the catalogue of the old prints in the National Archive in Poland gathered pace. The catalogue is probably going to be ready in mid-2016, but it is already possible to partially describe the archive old prints and this is the main focus of this article.