Thursday 21 January
Inaugural Lecture:
The Materiality of Medieval Manuscripts
5pm, Taylor Institution, Lecture Theatre: Lecture
Even though Henrike started her job a year ago and has been a founding member of the Oxford Medieval Studies Programme, the inaugural lecture gives the opportunity to formally welcome her as the Chair in Medieval German Literature and Linguistics in Oxford. Representatives from the VolkswagenStiftung, the DAAD and the University of Freiburg who partly sponsor the Chair, will be present.
The focus of the lecture will be an illuminated and glossed Psalter from the Cistercian abbey of Medingen. Quite a few of the Oxford Medieval Studies group will have heard of the exciting process of trying to secure the manuscript for the Bodleian which started a year ago, directly after the appointment of Henrike Lähnemann who was heavily involved in the negotiations. The manuscript itself will therefore be carried in the inaugural procession by Bodley’s librarian and accompanied by the current Abbess of Medingen to the lectern. It will be on display (securely under glass!) during the drinks in the splendid room 2 of the Taylor Institution, right under the bust of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. No registration is needed for the lecture.
6pm, Taylor Institution, Room 2: Drinks Reception
Friday, 22 January
Medingen Manuscripts (Weston Library)
10am, Weston Library, Lecture Theatre: Masterclass
A masterclass which will offer the opportunity to inspect the Psalter in the context of other manuscripts from the convent held in Oxford. Speakers include the current Abbess of Medingen, Dr Kristin Püttmann, and the Abbess of Mariensee, Bärbel Görcke M.A., who will talk about the spiritual heritage in today's Protestant convents; Dr Ulrike Hascher-Burger (Utrecht) on music in the Medingen Manuscript and Prof. Nigel F. Palmer on Cistercian features, especially punctuation, in the manuscripts. The manuscripts will be presented by the Tolkien Curator of Medieval Manuscripts, Dr Martin Kauffmann.
Those interested in attending the masterclass should register for a free ticket via the Centre for the Study of the Book.
12noon, Weston Library, Bahari Room: Lunch
2pm, Taylor Institution, Room 2: Round Table
The Future of German Studies (Taylor Institution)
A roundtable on 'The Future of German Studies' followed by the launch of a new website presenting German Reformation pamphlets from the Taylorian.
Those interested in the Round Table and the German wine on Friday, should write to office@mod-langs.ox.ac.uk
4pm: Drinks Reception and Launch ‘Treasures of the Taylorian’ series 1: ‘Reformation Pamphlets’
The drinks reception at 4pm is sponsored by the German Embassy.
Oxford Medieval Studies
Website: Henrike Laehnemann blog
Audience: Open to all
