Dr. Lars Munkhammer, director of the Upsala University library

Mr. Munkhammer, this is the first visit of Swedish historians in Bulgaria. What is the aim of your visit?
I had contacts with Dr. Rossen Milev for a couple of years in connection with the Gothic tradition in Bulgaria. I have been very interested in Codex Argenteus in Upsala, which is a Gothic manuscript. That’s why we got in contact. The reason of my coming is to develop this contact about the Goths. I may say that it is beginning, the first time we meet. This is the beginning of a new cooperation about the history and culture of the Goths as a part of the European historical and cultural heritage.

You are the author of the history of Codex Argenteus. Is there a connection with the history of the Bulgarian lands and what is it?
The connection I would say is Bishop Wulfila. Bulgaria is his homeland, so to say, since he was bishop in Moezia. He translated the Bible into Gothic. Codex Argenteus is one visible result of that.

What is the contribution of such research to the contemporary European identity?
I think Bishop Wulfila is a very significant symbol, since he is humanist, peaceful person and in the old days, in the 17th century for example, in Sweden the Goths were very popular because of their military spirit. Today it is not very nice to think about that, but Wulfila is on the contrary a peaceful person and I think he is a good symbol.

Ralitsa Zgalevska