Ritmennt - 01.01.2001, Page 163

RITMENNT
Abstracts
Ögmundur Helgason: Helstu prentaðar skrár um
íslensk handrit. Ritmennt 6 (2001), pp. 9-26.
Printed catalogues of Icelandic (or predomin-
antly Icelandic) manuscripts in foreign collec-
tions, mostly Danish and Swedish, as well as
catalogues of manuscripts published in Iceland
are surveyed. Some of the more general foreign
catalogues containing information relevant to
the discussion are briefly included as well, and
catalogues mentioned in the article are listed on
pp. 25-26.
Gunnar Sveinsson: Sigmundur Matthíasson
Long, 1841-1924. Ritmennt 6 (2001), pp. 27-66.
The Department of Manuscripts in the
National and University Library of Iceland holds
197 manuscripts that derive frorn Mr Sigmundur
Matthíasson Long (1841-1924), an antiquary and
dedicated collector of Icelandic manuscripts, 63
of which were copied or written by Mr Long him-
self. Born in eastern Iceland he lived there until
1889 when he emigrated to Canada. He lived in
Winnipeg for the rest of his life, earning his liv-
ing as a labourer most of the time. His life is
recounted here and manuscripts that belonged to
his remarkable collection, which are now pre-
served in the Department of Manuscripts, are
listed on pp. 59-61. His own printed works, in-
cluding translations and excerpts from his diaries
and other writings, are listed on pp. 61-66.
Jón Þórarinsson: Latnesk tíðasöngsbók úr lút-
erskum sið. Ritmennt 6 (2001), pp. 67-82.
(English summary on pp. 80-82.)
Rannver H. Hannesson: íslenskt handritaband.
Ritmennt 6 (2001), pp. 83-92.
The development of Icelandic manuscript
binding from the beginning of printing to the
middle of the 19th century is sketched hriefly.
Features that are characteristic of Icelandic
manuscript bindings include the use of a wide
variety of materials as well as a number of
peculiar technical details. On the whole these
rather primitive amateur bindings were designed
to serve only the basic purpose of fastening to-
gether and keeping in order loose leaves or
getherings so as to preserve the written word
against the vicissitudes of generally adverse
physical conditions.
Ásgeir Guðmundsson: Egil Holmboe. Túlkur á
fundi Hamsuns og Hitlers. Ritmennt 6 (2001),
pp. 93-111.
Egil Holmboe (1896-1986), Knud Hamsun's
interpreter at a famous meeting with Adolf
Hitler in June 1943, had lived in Iceland for a
time before the War, and after being released
from a Norwegian prison in 1948 he moved to
Iceland and lived there quietly for the rest of his
life. This is an account of Holmboe's unusual life
with especial reference to Icelandic impressions
of him before and after the War, and the part
played by him at the meeting of Hamsun and
Hitler. Another person with Icelandic connec-
tions, Ernst Zuchner, who was present at the
meeting, is discussed briefly. A Norwegian sum-
mary is on pp. 109-11.
Ingi Sigurðsson: Upplýsingin og hugmyndaheim-
ur Islendinga á síðustu áratugum 19. aldar og
öndverðri 20. öld. Ritmennt 6 (2001), pp. 112-41.
(English summary on pp. 139-41.)
Sópuður. Ritmennt 6 (2001), pp. 142-57.
A miscellany containing brief accounts of
Sagnanetið, a cooperative effort led by the
National and University Library of Iceland con-
sisting of the digitization of about 400,000 pages
of printed material and manuscripts and provid-
ing online access to them (by Einar Sigurðsson;
pp. 142-46), a project aiming at evaluating early
printed books in the National and University
Library, especially by classical authors, and mak-
ing them accessible by cataloguing (by Örn
Hrafnkelsson; pp. 146-49), and a visit to the
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