A significant number of FAU’s art history and history of science collections have come from generous donors. The items in these collections include everything from library collections and coins, paintings, etchings and prints to scientific exhibits. FAU has also received financial support for specific purposes in the form of donations.
The most important donations in the history of Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg are listed below.
Here is a list of various donations that support FAU in general.
The coin collection of Dr. Dr. Bernhard Sinogowitz
Around 180 Byzantine coins, many of which are made of gold or electrum.
Donation from Anneliese Tauwald
In March 2005, the art collector Anneliese Tauwald donated 45 copper engravings from the 18th century in original size from hand drawings from the famous Nuremberg art collection of Paulus II. Praun (1548-1616) to the University Library.
The publishing output of Saur Verlag 1970 – 2004
A gift from the publisher Prof. Dr. h.c. Klaus G. Saur
The Dodt donation, 2004
A facsimile of the Book of Lindisfarne
Frieda Bachmann donation
A facsimile of the Book of Kells
Elise Pittroff donation
Financial donation for supporting cancer research
Dr. Jahn donation
Academic literature about the history of medicine
The Neischl grotto
Artificial dripstone cave inside the Botanical Garden
Bequest from Dr. Stählin
Financial support for the University Library
Bequest from Georg Brechenmacher
Scientific library and duplicates
The public relations library of Dr. C Hundhausen
The Kolb fossil collection
The library of Professor Steininger
Chinese Studies specialist library (approx. 2000 volumes), property of the University since 1997
Coin collection of Prof. Ulrich and Ilse Zwicker
Donation of antique and Medieval coins since 1987
The library of Professor Fairy von Lilienfeld
Donation since 1986 to the University; specialist library on theology, archaeology and the history of Eastern Christianity (approx. 3,500 volumes)
The Klaus Kirchner collection
Donation to the University Library in 1983, comprises 548 war pamphlets from the period between 1914–1981
The Ernst Meyer-Camberg collection
Donation to the University library in 1983, comprises 900 autographs
The Ernst Luthardt collection
Donation to the University Library in 1931, comprises more than 7,000 drawings, watercolors and etchings from the 19th and early 20th century
The coin collection of August Voit von Salzburg
Bequeathed to the University in 1858, comprises around 3,141 modern coins
The private library of Margravine Sophie Caroline
Bequeathed to the University Library in 1817, comprises 1,653 volumes
The library of Schloss Ansbach with the former Margravine art collection of Ansbach
Donated in 1805 by King Friedrich Wilhelm III, comprises 13,000 volumes of printed and handwritten manuscripts, 1,700 drawings, 1,000 woodcuts and 4,000 etchings from the 15th to 18th centuries. This collection today forms the University’s Collection of Prints and Drawings.
St. Jobst monastery library
Gift from Margrave Alexander, added to the University Library in 1794; comprises 315 handwritten manuscripts and incunabula
Private library of Margravine Wilhelmine von Bayreuth
Bequeathed to the University Library in 1759; comprises around 5,000 volumes
Heilsbronn monastery library
Donated to the University Library in two parts in 1747 and 1770; comprises 639 handwritten manuscripts and 2,031 prints
Natural history collection and cabinet of curiosities of Margrave Friedrich
Bequeathed to the University in his will in 1743
The following donations form the Pre- and Early History Collection at FAU:
Various estate bequests and collections in the handwritten manuscript department of the University Library and in the University Archive
For example, scientific bequest from professor’s estates, or private collections of pamphlets
The pre- and early history collection of the director of the Anatomy Department, Professor Dr. Leo Gerlach
The collection was donated to the University in 1920.
The pre- and early history collection of pastor Dr. Rudolf Herold
The collection came into possession of the University in 1914.
The following donations form the Geographical and Ethnographical Collection at FAU:
The ethnographic Borneo collection of zoologist Dr. Ernst Friedrich Will
Donated to the University in 1913.
The ethnographic Sumatra collection of geographer Professor Dr. Wilhelm Volz
Donated to the University in 1913.
The ethnographic Loango collection of geographer Professor Dr. Eduard Pechuel-Loesche
Donated to the University in 1905.
The following donations form the collection of historical musical instruments in the Institute of Musicology at FAU:
The collection of Dr. h.c. Ulrich Rück
A collection of historical musical instruments from the Rück company in Nuremberg, which was donated to the University in 1957.
The collection of Dr. h.c. Reinhold Neupert
A collection of historical musical instruments from the Neupert company in Bamberg, which was bequeathed to the University in 1923.