Album amicorum

Noteworthy are the pre-printed pages of a friendship book (Stammbuchblatt) from 1770 onwards, published as a loose-leaf collection by the bookbinder and pressman Johannes Carl Wiederhold (1743-1826) from Göttingen.

Through asking a person of a higher rank to sign one's friendship book, the opportunity to reel in potential patrons and protectors for the holder also opened up.

In its full form an entry would have a personal note, such as a handwritten greeting, a poem (of one's own composition) or other small literary texts.

Additionally, right before the name of the person who wrote the entry, a Dedikationsformel (a set phrase to state that this page is a dedication to the owner of the book) was included.

Sheets displaying pictures of Universities or images related to the students everyday life were highly popular designs for friendship books.

The friendship book sheets are an important historical source for the history of the university as the students' unions were oftentimes banned until 1848.