"Burning Libraries in Baghdad theUnexpected Destruction

of Cultural Heritage after the War of 2003"

Abstract

Cultural heritage of humanity hassuffered a lot because of armed conflictsand war since early times. Iraq was andstill is a field of wars thus the loss wasalways heavy and irreversible. Theunexpected was the intentional damage anddestruction of cultural heritage during andafter the war of 2003. The scandals oflooting museums, libraries, clandestinedigging and illegal trading of antiquities,manuscripts and all objects of historicaland cultural value was and still thriving. This presentation include a shortintroduction to the destruction of culturalheritage of Iraq after the war of 2003 andconcentrate on the intentional burning oflibraries occurred in Baghdad.

Introduction:The cultural heritage of Iraq has

suffered a severe destruction and loss

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during the past thirty years. Clandestinedigging of antiquities, theft and illegaltrade of rare manuscripts and documentswere going on all over Iraq. Some of whichwas sponsored by high rank Iraqiofficials.

After the invasion of Baghdad theAmericans intentionally created a state ofchaos and encouraged the looters tooperate to practically prove to the peopleof Iraq that the old regime is not anymore in power. They wanted the Iraqis,Arabs and the rest of the world to feelthe symbolic wait of the fall of thedictator regime of Saddam Husain.

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The show I am going to present to youtoday demonstrates few examples ofdestruction and loss of cultural heritageoccurred in Iraq during and after theinvasion of March 2003. The scandal oflooting the Iraqi Museum, the burning oflibraries and the sack of cities,governmental palaces and stores spread allover the world. The problem has becomebigger when the destruction became planedby the fighting factions and includeshistorical and religious monuments andalmost everything that possesseshistorical, cultural and traditionalvalues for the Iraqis.

The destruction and loss of culturalheritage may be classified in twocategories: Intentional destruction andunintentional destruction, as summarizedin the following points:

Intentional Destruction: 1- Looting of Archaeological sites,

Museums, Libraries and valuable materialshoused in public or governmental places.

2- Burning of libraries. 3- Destroying of public Art

monuments.

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4- Transferring and smuggling ofarchives and objects of cultural andhistorical value.

5- Exploding of religious shrines.6- Shelling and bombing districts

and streets of cultural and historicalvalue.

Unintentional Destruction: 1- Result of military combats and

bombing.2- Planted bombs. 3- Military occupation of cultural

and historical sites. 4- Neglect. 5- Burning of libraries

The plates I am going to showrepresent the burning of several librariesand book stores occurred in Baghdad afterthe invasion of 2003. It includes theburning of: 1- The National Library andArchive. 2- The Library of ReligiousEndowment. 3- The Library of Bayt Al- Hikma(House of Wisdom). 4- Library of thecollege of Fine Arts of Baghdad University.5- Libraries, Book stores and Printing

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Houses at Al- Mutanabbi Street (The Streetof Culture). The pictures speak forthemselves for the destruction in manycases was beyond expectations and is verydifficult to describe in words.

Plate: Map of Baghdad Showing theburned libraries.

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1- The national library and Archive The national library and archive of

Iraq is situated in Bab Al- Moadham nearthe beginning of Al- Rasid Street andopposite of the Ministry of Defense. Itwas established in 1920 and contains allimportant local publications of books,journals, news papers, microfilms, maps,Photographs and official and semi-official records of Iraq since the Ottomanperiod up to the present time, as well ascopies of dissertations. It is the mainsource of information and data concerningmodern history, political, social,administrative and cultural life in Iraq.It is mainly used by scholars anduniversity students.

The main building of the nationallibrary was sacked by looters and thenintentionally burned by arsonists. Thelooting started first on the 11th (?) ofApril 2003 and then came the arsonists. Afew days later the arsonists returned tofinish their job. The burning wasorganized before hand for books weregathered and then burned with the help ofcombustive agent. The temperature was highenough to destroy the structure of the

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building. (Report of the UNESCO secondassessment mission).

The loss and destruction was severeto the collection of documents, books,equipments as well as the building. Thearchive of the republican ere from 1977 to2003 was totally burnt to ashes. Accordingto S. Eskander, the new general director,"the library lost 25% of its collections,including rare books, whereas the archivelost 60% of its collections, includinginvaluable Ottoman records". All thecollection of maps and photographs werealso destroyed.

The team of the library of Congressand the Department of States of Americawho examined the remains stated "thatsome kind of highly incendiary devicehad been used that would not likely havebeen found in the hands of randomlooters". The same was also said byother experts.

Plates: National Library:

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1- Nation. Lib.

2- Nation. Lib.

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3- Nation. Lib.

4- Nation. Lib.

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5- Nation. Lib.

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6- Nation. Lib.

7- Nation. Lib.

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8- Nation. Lib.

9- Nation. Lib.

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10- Nation. Lib.

11- Nation. Arch.

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12- Nation. Arch.

13- Nation. Arch.

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2- The Central Library of Endowments(Al- Awqaf Library).

The central Library of Al- Awqaf isthe main Islamic library in Iraq and oneof the oldest libraries in Baghdad, It wasestablished in 1928. The library issituated inside the complex of theMinistry of Religious endowments near BabAl- Muadham not very far from the nationallibrary. It contains a large collection ofQurans, religious publications andapproximately 7000 priceless manuscripts.Prior to the war 5250 MSS were moved toundisclosed store. The remaining 1744 MSSwere stored in 32 metal containers andcarried to Qadiriya mosque complex wherethey were guarded along with the libraryof Al- Qadiriya. The armed guard of themosque was shot dead by US troupes thusthe containers moved back to the Awqaflibrary by the library staff. Looters andarsonists carrying “TV” signs came incivilian cars; they carried out 22containers and burned the library. It issaid that the event was filmed by two

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persons of the group who remained out sideguarding the entrance. (Nabil Al- Tikritireport).

The library was looted and burned onthe 14th of April 2003. Robert Fisk of theIndependent, who was witnessing theburning, went to the American forces andrequested them to interfere. In spite ofthe fact that the smoke could be seen fewmiles away, and the flames were shootingapproximately 200 feet high, none of theAmericans has shown any concern and mostof the collection which escaped thelooting went in to ashes. UNESCO report of28 June- 7 July 2003 stated that “about40% percent of the manuscript must havebeen destroyed by fire and looting, aswell as 90% of the printed books”.

Plates: Library of Endowment:

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1. Lib. of Endow.

2- Lib. of Endow.

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3- Lib. of End.

4- Lib. of Endow.18

5- Lib. of Endow.

3- The Library of Bayt Al- Hikma (Houseof Wisdom).The library of Bayt Al- Hikma is

situated in a building of the 19th centurynear Al- Maydan square, in the vicinity ofthe Ministry of Defense, not very far awayfrom the buildings of the NationalLibrary. Its name is after the name of theresearch and translation Institute founded

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by the Abbasside Caliphate Al- Ma’moonwhich was destroyed by the Mongols aftertheir invasion to Baghdad in 1258. Themodern library was created by thepresidential office in 1995, and most ofits research work and cultural activitywas associated with the dictator regimeand for its benefit. It is known forresearches in law, social sciences andstrategic studies.

The collection of the librarycontains volumes of, the United Kingdomforeign office, French governmentsdocuments, Jewish community in Baghdad, aswell as rear books such as a copy ofMaqamat Al- Hariri and a text by thefamous philosopher Ibin Sina.

The library must have been hit by abomb during the invasion for its roof wasblown from outside in. It was looted andthen burned to the ground on the 11th and12th of April 2003. Some of its books weresold near the library and at Al- MutanabbiStreet.

Plates: Bait Al- Hikma:

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1- Bay. Hik. Lib.

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2- Bay. Hik. Lib.

3- Bay. Hik. Lib.

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4- Bay. Hik. Lib.

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5- Bay. Hik. Lib.

6- Bay. Hik. Lib.

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4- The Library of the College of FineArts of Baghdad University.

The library of the college of finearts of Baghdad University was establishedin the sixties of the twentieth century.It contains the largest and the bestcollection of art books in Iraq in thefields of theater, fine arts, design,literature, ancient and modern history andthe related fields. Its collection exceeds70,000 books.

It is believed that the library mayhave been looted first, and then thebuilding of the library and the hallcollection were totally burned to theground. Everything was turned in to whitefine powder. There were no black depositsor a single piece of half burned papers orbooks. The heat was high enough to causethe melting of, the thick and stealenforced, stained glass front wall of thelibrary, designed by the late Iraqi artistKadhum Hayder, and the deformation of thesteel and iron bars of its structure. Suchresult may not have been reached without

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the use of highly flammable and heatproducing chemicals. The primary aim ofthe attackers was the destruction of thecollection and not theft.

Plates of the Library of the Collegeof Fine Arts:

1- (COFA).

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2- (COFA).

3- (COFA).(Eye witness account).

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5- Al- Mutanabbi Street

Al- Mmtanabi Street is named afterthe great Arab poet Al- Mutanabbi. It wasestablished as a market of manuscripts andbooks during the Abbasside period. Thestreet was destroyed during the fall ofBaghdad in 1258 after the Mongol invasion.

It is one of the oldest streets ofBaghdad. The oldest book stores in thestreet dated to the 18th and early 19th

century. During the first half of the 20th

century, the earliest printing houses ofBaghdad were established in this street.It has become the center of books tradingof Iraq and a meeting place of educatedpeople of all levels and ages. Writers,intellectuals, artists and people ofcultural interest use to sit at Al-Shbander café, founded in 1917, and discusall matters of culture and art, especiallyon Fridays. Among all the Arabs, theIraqis are known for their love forreading, thus came the famous Arab saying"what is written I Cairo printed in Beirutand read in Baghdad". Robert fisk has

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changed the end of the saying in to"burned in Baghdad".

The street was bombed by a suicideattacker driving a car on Monday the 5th ofMarch 2007. Most of the large and veryimportant libraries and the largest bookstores were destroyed and totally burned,among which were Al- Asriya library,established in the year 1908, and Al-Nahdha library. Bothe libraries containedthe most important, rear and valuablebooks. The destruction includes Al-Shabander the famous café of intellectualsin Baghdad.

To which party the suicide attackerbelongs and who is benefiting from suchact? This is a very difficult question toanswer without assuming the interventionof foreign hands.

Plates of Al- Mutanabbi Street:

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1- Al- Mut. St.

2- Al- Mut. St.

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3- Al- Mut. St.

4- Al- Mut. St.

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5- Al- Mut. St.

6- Al- Mut. St.

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7- Al- Mut. St.

8- al. Mut. St.

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9- Al- mut. St.

10- Al- mut. St.

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11- Al- Mut. St.

12- Al- Mut. St.

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13- Al- Mut. St.

Conclusions:

1- The stated examples clearly showthat neither the Americans nor theIraqis who came to power with them werereally concerned with the protection ofcultural heritage of the nation.

A- They did not take any measure tosafe guard museums, libraries, andother cultural centers. B- They did not bother to interferewhen the looting and burning were

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started in spite of the calling forhelp from Iraqis and foreigners. C- They did not carry anyinvestigation to find out who thecriminals were and who is behindthem?

2- The plunder and burning ofcultural heritage of Iraq was plannedbefore hand by unknown foreign gropesor organizations with hatred agenda andwas executed by trained terrorists.Unfaithful and brainless Iraqis mighthave been used to execute parts of thecrime.

3- Neither adequate nor alternativeplans have been made to protect thecultural heritage of Iraq by the peoplewho were in charge of the looted andburned libraries before the 9th of March2003 except for the (House ofManuscripts, the Library of the IraqiMuseum and few other libraries andvaluable collections). It seems thatthose who were in charge probablybelieved in or cheated by the

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propaganda of the regime thus caught bysurprise.

4- The American forces intentionallywanted to create a total disorder andchaos state, called at the time"Productive Chaos", thus encouraged thelooters to operate. Thier aim was todemonstrate that the regime of SaddamHusain is not any more in power.

5- On the bases of the above pointesone may suggest that protection ofcultural heritage of nations takes asecondary place in the world ofpolitics. And if such suggestion isapplicable to tyranny regimes, itshould not be correct for the civilizedfree world governments

In short the looting, burning, anddestroying of cultural heritageoccurred in Iraq after the invasion of2003 was a violation of theinternational law. It is in acontradiction with the Hague Conventionfor the protection of Cultural Propertyin the events of armed conflict which

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is only on September 25, 2008 (!) theUnited States Senate voted to sign.

Courtesy of Photographs:

Mc Guire Gibson: National LibraryPlates number: 1, 3, 4, 7, 8. Bayt Al-Hikma Plates number: 1, 5.

1- International Federation ofLibrary Institutions: Basra UniversityLibrary. Basra central Library.

2- Nabil Al- Tikriti: NationalLibrary: Plat number: 2. Bayt Al- HikmaPlates number: 2, 3, 6. Awqaf Library: 1,2, 3, 4, 5.

The courtesy of the rest of thephotographs, for the time being, areunknown.

3- Tanya Annima: College of Fine Arts: Plates number: 1, 2, 3.

Bibliography:

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Charles J. Hanley. “Pillagers sack,Burn Iraq Library, Treasures. 04/16/03.Helenair.com

Graham Shaw. “Assessment of Damage toLibraries and Archives in Iraq” FIANET. May1, 2003.

Jean- Marie, Arnoult. “Assessment ofIraqi Cultural Heritage Libraries and Archives” June 27- July 6, 2003. UNESCO Mission.

Jeffrey B. Spurr. “Iraqi librariesand Archives in Peril” Middle EastLibrarians association (April 2007).

Keith D. Watenpaugh and Others. “Preliminary Report on Baghdad National Library”. July 15, 2003.

Mary- Jane, Deep and Others. “Report on the National Library and the House of Manuscripts” The Library of Congress and the U.S. Department of State Mission to Baghdad. October 27- November 3. 2003.

Mounir Bouchnaki and Others. “UNESCO Second Assessment Mission To Iraq”. 28 June- 7 July, 2003.

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Nabil Al- Tikriti, “Iraq ManuscriptCollections, archives and LibrariesSituation Report” (June 8, 2003). Orientalinstitute, University of Chicago.

Oliver, Burkeman. “Ancient Archivelost in Baghdad Library blaze” TheGuardian April 15, 2003

Patrick Cockburn, “Book Market FirePiles on the misery for Broken Baghdad”,The Independent, 1 November 2008.

Phillip Robertson, “The death of Al-Mutanabbi Street”, 26 August 2005,Salon.com October 5 2008.

R. H. Losssin. “Iraq’s Ruined LibrarySolders On”. The Nation, April 9, 2008.

Robert Fisk, “Islamic Library Burnetto the Ground” The Independent, April 15,2003.

Saad, Eskander, “The tale of Iraq’sCemetery of Books” Information todayDecember 2004.

Dr. Nasser Al- Shawi

Professor of Ancient Art History

Email: nashawi2006@yahoo.com41