[SRSposter]

>Otlet hoped that this new system would allow for a grand unification of human knowledge, and entirely new forms of information. But neither he nor his Mundaneum survived the ravages of World War II. After invading Brussels, the Nazis destroyed much of his life’s work, removing more than 70 tons worth of material and repurposing the World Palace site for an exhibition of Third Reich art. Otlet died in 1944, and has remained largely forgotten ever since.

Thats just sad, really tragic.

[czam]

What's even worse is that even today Belgium fails to realize what a great cultural heritage they have in Paul Otlet's work. The remainders of his collection are dumped in a museum in the city of Mons which completely misses the chance to explain the originality and reach of Otlet's work and ideas.