Locations of events.

Our image of the Swiss is still strongly influenced by what Friedrich Schiller wrote about William Tell. But how did the German poet know that a noble people lived in the Swiss mountains?

In the past, he was simply called “the” poet: Virgil. But how could someone whose style was so elitist become a figure of folk tales and influence Europe’s literary history like hardly anyone else? In the end, it was all the result of a naive misunderstanding ...

Pierre de Nolhac made Versailles his life’s work. As a conservator, he did everything in his power to thoroughly restore the castle of the French kings. He also wrote numerous books about Versailles. A fine edition of one of these works can be found in our library.

What do cabbages, turnips, strawberries, songbirds and knife grinders have in common? All these things were offered for sale in the streets of London. By singing about them. Today we present to you a collection of the popular verses of 19th century street cries.

Even long before Diana and “Megxit”, scandals and affairs involving the monarchy were a favourite topic of the British. One particularly spectacular case occurred in 1820. A book reports on a trial that was about much more than tabloid gossip.