from the years 1911 to 1939. It is to be assumed that he arranged for a secretary to type up the copy that is in the archive (Ts. 2379–2393). Up until 1928 every entry was also individually transferred to an index card (WBA 218). Benjamin collected sheets of his published work, snipped them out (or received them as offprints) and then stuck them to large sheets with gummed strips. These were then furnished with details of sources and corrections, additions, and observations (fig. 1.8).
Through all of this careful ordering and classification of his papers, the compilation of bibliographic catalogs, the lists of themes and books, the collections of excerpts and notes, a mode of work is documented, which aims at something far more than the mere securing and stock-taking of knowledge. Benjamin’s archive represents a reserve of drafts, thoughts, and quotations. And yet what is collected is not only supposed to be held in safekeeping: it is also to be used productively and grounded in the present. For, as Benjamin notes in Excavation and Memory, “he who merely makes an inventory of his findings, while failing to establish the exact location of where in today’s ground the ancient treasures have been stored up, cheats himself of his richest prize” (SW 2:2, p. 576).
Figures
1.1 Envelope for literature lists and notes on various themes.
1.2 and 1.3 Early inventory of Walter Benjamin’s archive—Manuscript on a double sheet, two sides.
1.4 and 1.5 Book list on the reverse side of a form from the Bibliothèque Nationale. The parts of the sheet of paper that have come away along the perforation have been sewn together again, presumably by Walter Benjamin.—Manuscript, one page, with materials on reverse.
It is presumed that this list of books belongs to the work for The Arcades Project. It lists titles on history, technology, architecture, photography, fine arts, and literature. These include: the several volumes of History of Iron in its Technological and Cultural-Historical Context by Ludwig Beck (1897ff), The Tragedy of the Technological Epoch by Otto Veit (1935), Karl Marx by Auguste Cornu (1934), the Goncourt Brothers’ Journal, Houben’s Conversations with Heine, books by Fourier, Balzac, Alexandre Dumas (père), and others.
1.6 Archival notes—Manuscript, two sides; shown here, page 1.
1.7 Catalogue of My Published Works (1911–1939)—Manuscript, thirteen sides; shown here, page 1. Compare GS VII.1, pp. 477–9.
1.8. Discussion of Gabriele Eckehard, The German Book in the Epoch of the Baroque. On the top right-hand corner Benjamin has noted: “The Lit[erary] World VI, 23/6 June 1930”—printed, one side. Compare GS III, pp. 236f.
1.9 Walter Benjamin’s Paris address book (1930s)—shown here, pp. 33 verso and 34 recto.
Fig. 1.1
Fig. 1.1
Literary history
Philology
Art history
Psychology
Religious science
Fig. 1.2
Fig. 1.2
| I | Sönneken writings expanding file: Letters from all living male correspondents except for relatives and Gerhardi, Blumenthal, Sachs, Wolf Heinle. In addition manuscripts by others’ hands In addition letters from Jula plus those in XVI |
| II | Long brown cardboard box: Memories from school and university days |
| III | Long white cardboard box: Letters from Grete Radt |
| IIIa | White cardboard box: Letters from Grete Radt |
| Japanese casket: Letters from Grete Radt | |
| IV | Three medium-sized cardboard boxes; letters from parents, IVa Letters to Haubinda and Freiburg, I Semester IVb Letters to Munich, first semester, as well as 1917 and after IVc Letters to Freiburg II, Munich final semester |
| [and later] | |
| V | Letters from Dora Extendable grey cardboard box: Letters from Dora |
| VI | Cardboard envelope from The Demons: Letters from Blumenthal and Sachs |
| VII | Cardboard envelope from Meyrink: Letters and other papers from Gerhardi |
| VIII | Blue cardboard box: Diaries and letters from relatives except for those from parents |
| Letters to F. Sachs | |
| IX | Brown cardboard box: Letters from Wolf Heinle and Werner Kraft |
| Werner Kraft and Gerhard Scholem | |
| X | Extendable grey cardboard box: Writings and fragments on the youth movement |
| Large brown | |
| XI | Extendable black cardboard box (torn in half): Poetic works Namely 1) published in any version, 2) others that are only handwritten |
| XII | Brown cardboard box with crest: Duplicates of own works (in manuscript or print) |
| XIIa | Envelope: Lecture-hall files Heinle—Guttmann |
| XIII | White cardboard box: Letters from all living female correspondents except for relatives, plus those in XVI |
| XIV | White cardboard box: Letters from deceased people except for Fritz Heinle and Rika Seligson |
| XV | Sönneken letter file: Duplicates, Manuscripts by other people |
| XVI | Sönneken letter file: Miscellaneous letters from living correspondents |
Fig. 1.3
Fig 1.3
| XVII | Grey patterned cardboard box: Photographs, letters of recommendation, certificates;, library papers |
| XXIII | Yellow envelope: Duplicates of the Hölderlin work and manuscripts by others |
| XXX | Black extendable cardboard box: Philosophical works, fragments and letters |
| XXIV | Ernst Schoen (yellowy cardboard box with green edging) |
| XXV | Philosophical essays and critiques typewritten (blue folder) |
| XXVI | Long white cardboard box: Wolf Heinle |
| XXVII | Yellow envelope: Older letters from parents (probably after Switzerland) |
| XXVIII | Book box: Personal and business papers/stamps, certificates |
| XXIX | Small, yellow-brown envelope: Parents Summer 1921 |
Fig. 1.4
Fig. 1.5
