“Turning a New Leaf. Unexplored Central-European Bookscapes (1500–1800)”
Report by Livia-Ioana Potop & Ștefania-Maria Ghisa
To watch the movie click on the image – movie duration: 1:32 Minutes
Day 1 – Arrival & Opening Lectures
The Summer School officially began on Monday 21st July, with welcoming remarks from Mona GARLOFF (Action Chair) and Marion ROMBERG (Action Vice Chair). In their opening addresses, they introduced the objectives and the program, emphasizing the opportunities the PCPSCE Working Groups offer for the academic development of young researchers and innovators. Adinel C. DINCĂ (WG4 leader) also delivered an official opening and welcoming remarks, setting the tone for the days ahead.
The event then continued with the first training session, delivered by Előd ŐSZ (Central Archive of the Transylvanian Reformed Church District, Romania), who introduced the lecture theme: Bibliotheca Reformatorum Transylvanica. This project seeks to produce an expanded catalogue of theological works written by 16th century reformers, as found in Transylvanian collections.
In the afternoon, the program continued with participants’ research poster presentations, covering a wide range of topics related to book history, reflecting the diversity of the participants’ interests. Anna-Marie PÍPALOVÁ (University of Cambridge, United Kingdom) opened the session with a talk on how political considerations influenced the scholarly choices of Bohemian historians during the 17th century. Ewelina SIKORA (Institute of History of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Czech Republic) followed with a presentation on early modern cookbooks, exploring how they functioned as normative texts for collecting, organizing, and disseminating knowledge. Anisia IACOB (University of Kent / King’s College London, United Kingdom) then discussed how medical theory shaped Unitarian practices in Early Modern Transylvania. Livia-Ioana POTOP (Babeș-Bolyai University, Romania) contributed with insights on the trivium-related books from Sighișoara, highlighting a case study featuring usage and wear marks left by a previous reader. Mihai KOVÁCS (Babeș-Bolyai University, Romania) presented his research on the strategies of the Habsburg propaganda regarding Transylvania in the Southern Netherlands. The session concluded with Stefania-Maria GHIȘA’s (Babeș-Bolyai University, Romania) presentation on the reception and use of scientific works in early modern Transylvania, based on a book collection preserved in Sighișoara. Each presentation was followed by brief questions and exchanges, creating a dynamic and collegial discussion space.
The day concluded with a reception offered by the Babeș-Bolyai University, offering a relaxed setting for participants to get to know each other, and for informal discussions.
Day 2 – Training Sessions & Poster Presentations
Tuesday 22nd July, was structured around a series of training sessions, delivered by invited scholars, each addressing a distinct topic of the summer school’s theme. Martin HOLÝ (Institute of History of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Czech Republic) opened the session with a talk on “Print Culture in the Czech Lands in the Early Modern Period. Development, Genres and Ideas”, providing an overview of book culture in Bohemia and Moravia from the beginning of the 16th century to mid-18th century. Particular attention was given to the Unity of Brothers and the University of Prague. This was followed by Nina LAMAL (Royal Dutch Academy of Arts and Science, the Netherlands), who explored the material traces found in early modern books, with a focus on the Fagel collection at Trinity College Dublin. Her session provided valuable methodology for provenance research and studying reading practices. The fourth training session was delivered by Iulian DAMIAN (Babeș-Bolyai University, Romania), who presented a case study on Brașov as a printing center in the 16th century. His lecture highlighted the multilingual nature of local book production – Latin, Greek, Romanian, German, and Church Slavonic – as well as the predominance of educational and religious texts.
The afternoon participant panel featured six short research poster presentations, reflecting a wide range of interests. The section was opened by Maria FRÎNC (Babeș-Bolyai University, Romania), whose talk focused on a case of book trade in 16thcentury Transylvania, highlighting the regions’ connection to broader European culture. This was followed by Cristian RADU (Warwickshire County Council, United Kingdom), with a showcase of literary trickery and gender impersonating in a 18th century letter. Next, Mihail George HÂNCU (Institute for South East European Studies of the Romanian Academy, Romania), introduced his work focusing on a Slavonic grammar used as handbook for Romanian students in the 17th and 18th centuries. Riccardo BRANCALION continued the session with a presentation on book trade between Venice and the German lands during the 16th and 17th century. Lucy CÍSAŘ BROWN (Institute of History of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Czech Republic), contributed with insights on the transmission of Central European news to English audiences during the Thirty Years War through early modern pamphlets and broadsides from English popular print culture. The panel concluded with Carolin GLUCHOWSKI (Department for European History, University of Hamburg, Germany), who discussed a unique 15th‑century Latin–Low German psalter from Cistercian Convent of Medingen, showing how its creation amid sixty‑five surviving convent books illustrates the interplay of manuscript and print cultures in North German monastic life.
All presentations focused on the materiality and uses of books, underlining the richness of early modern print culture. Lively discussions followed, with valuable feedback from colleagues and trainers.
Day 3 – Training Sessions & Poster Presentations
Wednesday 23rd July, featured three training sessions and the final participant panel. The lecture of Kateřina PRAŽÁKOVÁ (University of South Bohemia, Czech Republic) explored the early news culture in Europe, focusing on the emergence of printed newspapers. She also examined how handwritten newspapers influenced the style, structure, and priorities of the earliest printed news formats. Kaarel VANAMÖLDER (Estonian Academy of Sciences and Tallinn University, Estonia) discussed the rise of the printed press in the Swedish Empire’s overseas provinces – particularly Estonia and Livonia – in the late 17th century. His lecture emphasized Riga’s role within the early modern international postal network. Olena KURHANOVA (Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine, Ukraine) concluded the training sessions with a presentation on the evolution of engraved title pages in European books from the 16th to 18th centuries. It highlighted stylistic trends, and genre-specific designs, while providing young researchers with useful research tools.
The participant panel in the afternoon included six additional poster presentations. Covering topics from printing history to digital linguistics, these short talks offered insights into the history of print culture from Ukraine, Poland, and the Ottoman Empire. Małgorzata ŁAZICKA (University of Warsaw, Poland) was the first speaker in the panel, presenting her work on woodblocks made by Crispin Scharffenberg in the 16th century. Adam PERZYŃSKI (University of Warsaw, Poland) continued the session with a presentation on Tomasz Makowski, examining why patrons might have preferred the more expensive intaglio engraving process over common woodcuts. Olha MAKSYMCHUK (Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine, Ukraine) was next to offer a presentation on the homiletic legacy of Antonii Radyvylovskyi, a prominent Ukrainian preacher of the 17th century. The poster of Mykhailo TUPYTSIA (Ukrainian Catholic University, Ukraine) reflected his research on catechisms used in the Munkachevo eparchy’s parishes in the 18th century. Tuğçe ATIK (Dokuz Eylül University, Turkey) explored through her poster the rise of Bulgarian vernacular publishing and its role in challenging Ottoman cultural control during the first half of the 19th century. The last poster was presented by Ibrahim OZTURK (Osmaniye Korkut Ata University, Turkey), who talked about Corpus Construction for AI-Driven Analysis, focusing on optical character recognition.
Day 4 – Field Trip to Alba Iulia (Romania)
Thursday 24th July, was dedicated to a field trip to Alba Iulia, offering the participants insights into book heritage, conservation practices, and the historical landscape of the region. The first stop was the Batthyaneum Library, which holds the largest collection of Western medieval manuscripts in Romania, as well as a rich collection of incunabula and early printed books. The group then visited St. Michael’s Cathedral, one of the oldest religious buildings in Transylvania. The cathedral reflects a combination of Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque architectural styles. At the National Centre for Restoration and Conservation of Old Books, participants observed the practical stages of book restoration and conservation. The visit included demonstrations of page consolidation, infilling, rebinding, and digitization, offering a valuable insight into the technical aspects of preserving damaged volumes. The itinerary also included the Museikon, a museum dedicated to icons and old religious books. The collection features Orthodox icons, early printed liturgical texts, and contemporary religious art. The final visit was to the Princely Palace of Transylvania, where the group explored the permanent exhibition and a special display of printed books. The shared midday meal offered a welcome break and a valuable moment for participants to share impressions and engage in informal conversations.
Day 5 – Conclusions & Guided Tour
The final day of the summer school began with Mona Garloff and Marion Romberg expressing their gratitude to the organizers and participants. They also invited participants to provide feedback that would contribute to the organization of future events. During the concluding discussions, each participant had the opportunity to express their general impressions about the summer school. Suggestions for improvement included included strengthening the practical component of the activity. Among the most highly appreciated components were the visit to the National Centre for Restoration and Conservation of Old Books and the poster presentation sessions. Moreover, the summer school represented a favorable context for establishing new academic connections and strengthening the COST research network. Overall, the impressions were very positive. Adinel C. Dincă (WG4 leader) concluded by describing the summer school as a highly successful learning experience, a view shared by both participants and organizers.
After the distribution of certificates, the group embarked on a guided city tour. The tour included Babeș-Bolyai University, the statuary group of the Transylvanian School, the Reformed Church with St. George’s statue, the Tailors’ Tower, Avram Iancu Square (featuring the Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral and Romanian National Opera), Union Square (with St. Michael’s Parish Church and Mirror Street), the House of Matthias Corvinus, and Museum Square with the Carolina Obelisk. The final stop was the Austrian Library, where director Laura Laza, presented the institution’s history, collections, and activities. Founded in 2003 in partnership with Babeș-Bolyai University and under the patronage of Upper Austria, it is the 50th Austrian Library established worldwide.