Travel Memorabilia of August Ferdinand von Lessen/ Leesen (1804–1876) in the collections of the University Library in Poznań

Abstract

Abstract. The aim of this article is to present and analyse a previously unpublished collection of travel memorabilia belonging to August Ferdinand von Lessen (1804–1876), preserved in the University Library in Poznań. This material constitutes a significant source for research on the mobility of the European aristocracy, the culture of travel, and collecting practices in the 19th century. The methods employed in the study include a detailed analysis of the volume’s contents, comprising 149 items (including both manuscript and printed documents), a biographical sketch of Baron von Lessen, and an attempt to reconstruct his travel itinerary based on travel documents, hotel bills and tickets. On the grounds of the conducted analysis, it is concluded that the collection holds not only documentary but also interpretative value, offering insight into the everyday life, social networks, and strategies of self-presentation employed by the 19th-century German aristocracy. The assembled materials reflect the owner’s extensive contacts, his political and cultural engagement, and his significant role in shaping familial and societal memory. This collection merits further exploration, particularly within the context of studies on European diplomacy and the transnational mobility of elites during this period.