Album studiosorum of Ducal Pedagogium, Carolingian Gymnasium and Academic Gymnasium in Szczecin

The edition of the students’ register of the Ducal Pedagogium, Carolingian Gymnasium and Academic Gymnasium, which continue its tradition, in the form of an electronic database and printed publications is the result of two projects: "Academic Heritage of Western Pomerania" (SONB/SP/513428/2021) and "Academic Heritage of Western Pomerania in the 17th-19th century". (SONB/SP/549053/2022). Both projects were co-financed by the Ministry of Education and Science as part of the Social Responsibility of Science program (Support for Science Libraries module) and from funds of the Marshal of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship.

The database includes student data from several documents. The main source is 17th-19th-century metrics, currently stored in the collection of the Pomeranian Library in Szczecin under the reference Rkps 250/1-2. The first of the manuscripts is a late 17th century copy of the students’ register of the Ducal Pedagogium. It lists the names, surnames and places of origin of around 5,500 boys enrolled as students of the academy from years 1576-1666. The second manuscript includes about 2,200 entries of students of the Carolingian Gymnasium and Academic Gymnasium respectively, from the years: 1679-1716 and 1717-1805. The matriculations of the second document retain the layout used in the Pedagogium's metrics, except that they were mostly done by the students and were often supplemented with information of their academic progress or further fate. Besides personal data, the school register also contains headings with the name of the rector who oversaw recruitment in the year in question, as well as several commemorative entries and poems - these texts are included only in the book edition of the document.

The manuscriptal register does not date back to the early days of the school, which was founded in 1543 and opened in 1544. Similarly, the metric of the Carolingian Gymnasium begins in 1679, although the school was opened in 1667. An attempt was therefore made to reconstruct the student's composition from years 1544-1575 and 1667–1678 using other sources. The accounting records of the St. Mary's Foundation, which financed the activities of the university, proved particularly useful in this regard. These documents list personal information of students who used the dormitory. As these registers mainly apply to students recruited from outside Szczecin, it was possible to only partially reconstruct the missing data.

Those who are interested in the work of the Ducal Pedagogium and the Gymnasia, which continue its tradition, as well as the edited sources, will find detailed information and bibliography in the books: Album studiosorum of the Ducal Pedagogium in Szczecin (1576-1666), ed. by A. Borysowska, M. Gierke, Szczecin 2022, Album studiosorum of the Carolingian Gymnasium and Academic Gymnasium in Szczecin (1679-1805) ed. by A. Borysowska, M. Gierke, Szczecin 2023.