Bug Infestation Threatens Historic 1,000-Year-Old Book Collection in Hungary

A catastrophic bug infestation is putting a historic treasure at risk in Hungary, where thousands of ancient books at the Pannonhalma Archabbey—a Benedictine monastery and UNESCO World Heritage Site—are under threat from drugstore beetles. This isn’t just a pest problem; it’s a race against time to preserve centuries of human history.

Restoration workers are painstakingly removing around 100,000 handbound volumes to begin a comprehensive disinfection process. These beetles, also known as cigarette beetles, have infiltrated a library housing 400,000 books, including a complete Bible from the 13th century. Zsófia Edit Hajdu, the chief restorer, emphasized the severity, noting that the entire collection is now considered infected and must be treated simultaneously.

The Pannonhalma Archabbey, founded in 996, holds Hungary’s oldest and most significant literary collection. These tiny invaders, barely a tenth of an inch long, are notorious for devouring book bindings and pages, feasting on the paste that holds history together. Ilona Ásványi, the library director, shared a poignant reflection: each damaged book feels like a lost piece of culture, irreplaceable even in a world of reprints.

This crisis isn’t just about bugs; it’s a stark reminder of how fragile our connection to the past can be. The battle to save these volumes is a fight for the stories, ideas, and wisdom they carry—before they’re chewed into oblivion.