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National Library of Spain Exhibition “Hell and Wonders” by Richard Dabrowski

In November 2024, I had the opportunity to visit the National Library of Spain in Madrid, which recently opened a new permanent exhibition titled “Hell and Wonders” which could be of interest to teachers of Spanish [none of the materials are available in English or other languages].

I’ve used ChatGPT to summarize in English the announcement of the opening of the exhibition; the announcement in Spanish can be found at:

https://www.bne.es/es/noticias/biblioteca-nacional-espana-abre-nuevo-espacio-expositivo-infierno-maravillas

The National Library of Spain has inaugurated “El Infierno y las Maravillas” (Hell and Wonders), a permanent exhibition space aimed at promoting knowledge about the library’s
collections and emphasizing the importance of preserving cultural and bibliographic heritage. The space showcases treasures from the library’s collection and highlights works that have been censored alongside universally celebrated pieces.

The exhibition title draws from the dual nature of libraries: “El Infierno” refers to hidden, forbidden works, while “Las Maravillas” showcases valuable cultural treasures. The exhibition combines historical artifacts, digital technology, and interactive installations to provide a reflective journey through the history of human knowledge, from the origins of writing to future innovations. Highlights include facsimiles, censored books, and a mix of mediums, from manuscripts to modern digital archives.

The space is divided into four thematic sections:

  1. Creation, Reading: Knowledge.
  2. The Human Infernos.
  3. The Book of Wonders (with subsections on cartography and the expanded book).
  4. The Machines of Memory and the Future.

The exhibition encourages visitors to consider the evolution of communication, the preservation of knowledge, and the role of libraries in the digital age. Quotes from global literary and philosophical figures are interspersed to deepen engagement. Additionally, a comic for younger visitors introduces these themes through relatable characters, fostering accessibility.

Here’s a sample photo of the use of comics to appeal to elementary student visitors:

The exhibition webpage: [https://www.bne.es/es/agenda/exposicion-infierno-maravillas] is richly supplied with photos and a link to a YouTube video. There are also downloadable links to two levels of student guides [elementary and secondary] to accompany visitors to the exhibition. To summarize the ChatGPT summary: The exhibition serves as both a museum and a teaching tool, ideal for teachers and learners interested in cultural heritage, censorship, and the interplay of traditional and modern knowledge systems.

The PEARLL (Professionals in Education Advancing Research and Language Learning) Title VI Language Resource Center at the University of Maryland National Foreign Language Center is offering an in-person Leadership Academy this summer from July 12th to 14th, 2023.  This academy is focused on enhancing the effectiveness of current or aspiring leaders in the language field.  For additional information, see:  Leadership Academy – PEARLL (umd.edu)

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Fanni is Radnóti's wife
Located near the Tang capital city of Chang’an, site of the modern city of Xi’an in Shaanxi province, in central China.
Soldiers of that time commonly wore a white head cloth, similar to what is still worn by some peasants in China today.  The implication is that the conscripts were so young that they didn’t know how to wrap their head cloths, and needed help from elders.
Before China’s unification under the Qin dynasty in 221 B.C. there were several competing smaller kingdoms.  Han and Qin were two of these kingdoms. Han was located east of famous mountain passes that separated that area from the power base of the Qin dynasty, with its capital in Chang’an. The Qin dynasty itself only lasted about 15 years after unification due to its draconian rule, but soldiers under Qin rule retained a reputation as strong fighters.
The area of Guanxi, meaning “west of the passes”, refers to the area around the capital city of Chang’an.
This is an alternative name for a province in western China, now known as Qinghai, which literally means “blue sea”.  Kokonor Lake, located in Qinghai, is the largest saline lake in China.  
Before China’s unification under the Qin dynasty in 221 B.C. there were several competing smaller kingdoms.  Han and Qin were two of these kingdoms. Han was located east of famous mountain passes that separated that area from the power base of the Qin dynasty, with its capital in Chang’an. The Qin dynasty itself only lasted about 15 years after unification due to its draconian rule, but soldiers under Qin rule retained a reputation as strong fighters.
Oulart Hollow was the site of a famous victory of the Irish rebels over British troops, which took place on May 27, 1798. The rebels killed nearly all the British attackers in this battle. (Source: Maxwell, W. H. History of the Irish Rebellion in 1798. H. H. Bohn, London 1854, pp 92-93, at archive.org)
The phrase "United Men" is elaborated upon in the Notes section below.

Ghetto

An Italian word meaning “foundry.” It originally referred to a part of the city of Venice where the Jews of that city were forced to live; the area was called “the ghetto” because there was a foundry nearby. The term eventually came to refer to any part of a city in which a minority group is forced to live as a result of social, legal, or economic pressure. Because of the restrictions placed upon them, ghetto residents are often impoverished.

"You’re five nine, I am do-uble two"

A reference to the year 1959 and the year 2020.

"The Currency"

Meaning US dollars - this is drawing attention to the fact that Cuba is effectively dollarized.

"Sixty years with the dom-ino stuck"

This sentence is a reference to the Cold War notion that countries would turn Communist one after the other - like dominos. Cuba was the first domino, but it got stuck - no one else followed through into communism.

رحلنا

رحلنا, or "rahalna," means "we have left."

Habibi

Habibi means "my love."

Ra7eel

Ra7eel, or "raheel," means "departure."

3awda

3awda, or "awda," means "returning."

أهلاً

أهلاً, or "ahalan," means "welcome."

a5 ya baba

a5 ya baba, pronounced "akh ya baba," means "Oh my father."

golpe

Treece translates "golpe" as "beating", which is correct, however misses the secondary meaning of the word: "coup".

Carlos

The “Carlos” referred to in the poem is most likely Carlos Bolsonaro, a politician from Rio de Janeiro and the second son of Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s current president. His and his father’s involvement in Marielle’s murder has been questioned and investigated.