Lost 1594 legal book rediscovered in German thrift store

A rare book printed in 1594 has been rediscovered in a social thrift store in Flörsheim, Germany, after being considered lost since the Second World War. The volume, titled ‘Pauli Sententiae’, is a late antique legal text written in Latin.

Following a donation to the thrift store, attentive staff and cross-institutional research allowed the book to be identified. It is believed the volume was moved from Berlin to the Hattorf lime mine in Hesse during the war for safekeeping and subsequently went missing. It has been officially listed as a war loss since 1945.

The Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin has since reintegrated the book into its collection. Despite its age, the volume is reported to be in excellent condition and is now cataloged and available for historical research.