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I just returned from Annual GGC at Krefeld/Dusseldorf... here is the latest news
about
      "Map-jackers & Map-nappers at Saxonian State Library"
from todays newspaper SZ (Dresden):
 
SSL helds one of the most beautiful Map Library of the World founded by
Kurfuerst Friedrich August 400 years ago.
At Wednesday, Sept. 29th, three map-gangsters attacked the map librarian
at SSL using a gun (revolver) and fettered him with adhesive tape to a chair,
also sticked the tape to his eyes...
About 180 important historic maps of the World (16th, 17th and 18th centuries)
have been stolen. Saxonian's FBI is searching for this gangsters... two of them
were subscribed as library users from this Spring under the (falsificated?)
names "Joachim Zeumer (50-60 years) and Wolfgang Mielke". When demonstrating
map sheets one of them ("Zeumer") left the map room as far as he wanted to get
his glasses he forgot... After some minutes the third gangster (about 25-30
years old) came in, also to study historic maps of the World... but attacked
the librarian.
The value of stolen maps and other engraved paintings is about 600 000.- DM.
 
This is first attack onto German libraries by use of violence !
 
F. Hoffmann /21-45