Celebrated 140 years of Olschki with a journey into the publishing heritage

The initiative opened with institutional greetings from the Councilor for Culture of the Municipality of Florence, Giovanni Bettarini, and with the contribution of Father Bernardo Gianni, abbot of the Abbey of San Miniato al Monte. Daniele Olschki, Carlo Sisi, Carlo Ossola, Cristina Acidini, Lucia Tongiorgi Tomasi, Edoardo Barbieri, Giuseppina La Face, Lorenzo Bianconi and Giuliano Pinto then spoke, who explored some of the main areas of research and series that have characterized the publishing house’s catalogue: from literature to art history, from musicology to bibliography, up to the history of Tuscany and the tradition of humanistic studies. Moderated by Claudio Di Benedetto, the meeting represented a moment of discussion on the value of the editorial heritage built by Olschki in 140 years of activity and on the role that books continue to play in the transmission of knowledge and the promotion of scientific and humanistic research.

“In celebrating today, together with authors, directors of series and magazines, this important date in our history, our thoughts run backwards to remember all those who have experienced the emotions of books alongside us and who still speak to us from the shelves of an alienable library such as ours”, declared Daniele Olschki. “A past community that is linked to the present and a future of indefinite boundaries, but for us never separated from the legacy of the Founder, who decided the editorial perimeter in the field of human sciences. It is difficult to establish today what the future of the book will be, in the separation of the content from the rustling of the pages, but for us the trust in paper will remain unchanged which guarantees, with the only interface of the human eye, independence from every digital platform.”

During the event, the volume “140 years of Olschki” was also presented, created on the occasion of the anniversary to retrace, through publications, series and editorial projects, the evolution of the publishing house from 1886 to today. The day ended with the speech of Gherardo Olschki, called to collect the legacy of a family publishing tradition that spans five generations and which has accompanied Italian and international cultural life for 140 years.

“Today the Olschki publishing house – adds Gherardo Olschki – has crossed a memorable milestone, retracing the crucial stages of its history, honoring the inseparable bond with Florence, listening to some of the most authoritative voices that make up the Olschki universe. But if there is something that today teaches us it is that the real protagonist to be celebrated is not us, it is not history or culture as abstract entities; it resides at the center of this cosmos complex, it observes us with its ink eyes and touches us with its paper limbs: it is the book, understood as the highest and immortal form of the idea of Humanitas – the same principle in which Leo Olschki had glimpsed his own civil and social mission. After all, there is a part of each one in the books we create and read, and therefore the book represents the most powerful bond that unites us. By celebrating it, we give value to ourselves and to others.”

Founded in 1886 by Leone Samuele Olschki, the Olschki publishing house has its roots in the book and antiquarian activity started by its founder, who arrived in Italy from East Prussia in the 1880s. After his first experiences in Verona and Venice, the publisher settled in Florence in 1897, starting a bond with the city that was destined to profoundly mark the history of the company. During the twentieth century, Olschki established itself as one of the main European realities of academic and high culture publishing, developing a catalog specialized in humanistic studies and building over time a dense network of collaborations with scholars, universities, libraries and international cultural institutions. Series and magazines that have accompanied generations of scholars have contributed to its growth, consolidating its prestige in the Italian and international cultural panorama. The history of the publishing house was also marked by events that profoundly affected the last century: the two world wars, the racial laws that forced the founder into exile, the destruction of the Florentine headquarters during the Second World War and the flood of 1966. Despite these difficulties, the publishing activity continued thanks to the commitment of subsequent generations of the Olschki family, who were able to preserve its identity and develop its cultural project. Today Olschki continues to represent a point of reference in the international publishing scene, with a catalog that includes hundreds of scientific series and magazines and a production dedicated to the valorization of research, book heritage and humanistic culture.