Last week, a building in Cologne, Germany, collapsed. Initial reports indicated that a few people may have been killed, although loud creaking noises that preceded the actual collapse allowed most to escape. One witness was quoted as saying the falling building and cloud of debris was “like Sept. 11.”
The building was Cologne’s city archive. It contained many rare, priceless and irreplaceable documents dating back to the year 922. It was the largest municipal archive in Europe north of the Alps. The cause of the collapse is currently unknown, but some people are speculating that ongoing construction of Cologne’s subway system may have been at least partially responsible. A spokesperson for the subway system refuted that charge, noting there was no work being done directly under the archives. City officials are still searching for answers and explanations. The building was constructed in 1971 specifically to house the archives. One person assumes it was equipped with all possible measures to protect the materials.
As a historian, my heart aches when I hear stories like this. Archives and libraries around the world contain documents, maps, paintings, letters and other one-of-a-kind materials that are invaluable connections to the history of human civilization.
Closer to home, a fire at the Georgetown Neighborhood Library two years ago destroyed much of a collection of materials that dated back to the colonial era, including copies of the Maryland Gazette from 1775 to 1776, which reported the signing of the Declaration of Independence as a news item. A construction worker using a heat gun to remove paint from an exterior window caused the fire. Firefighters arrived on the scene only to discover that the two closest fire hydrants were not functioning.
These incidents make me think about the possibility of large-scale construction on the campus for the Purple Line. Some folks concerned about science laboratories have raised objections to the construction. But we also need to remember what’s housed in Hornbake Library.
Hornbake contains the University Archives: documents, photographs and other materials relating to the history of this university, dating back to its founding in 1856. It also contains significant archival materials related to state history and the personal papers of several influential Marylanders. There are rare books and other literary and historical manuscripts, the National Public Broadcasting Archives and the university’s extensive non-print media holdings.
In Cologne there were materials that practically dated back to the time of Charlemagne. While there’s nothing quite so old in Hornbake, it nonetheless contains important historical artifacts that must be protected.
I know supporters of the Purple Line will assure us that the construction through the heart of our campus will be completely safe. It seems exceedingly unlikely that nearby construction could bring down Hornbake like the World Trade Center. But last week’s event in Cologne should encourage us to double and triple and even quadruple check any plans for seismic disturbances in the vicinity of a building on our campus that houses such historical treasures.
Jeremy Sullivan is a doctoral candidate studying American history. He can be reached at sullivandbk@gmail.com.
