This historic catalogue documents the oriental manuscripts of what is now the Saxon State Library at the Dresden University of Technology. Formerly the Royal Library of Dresden, this repository houses numerous manuscripts from antiquity. Catalogued before the tragic bombing of Dresden during the Second World War, this historic record, written in Latin, briefly describes the nearly 600 documents in the collections of Dresden and Guelferbytan at that time. The entries are basic, giving the contents a brief description, citing language, title (if applicable), and the nature of the manuscript. Valued more as a historical memento more than an accurate record of the current collection, this catalogue provides a sense of the importance of the manuscripts housed in the library early in the nineteenth century when the city was the capital of Saxony. Adding to the utility of his register are the indices to the codices included with the collection.

Heinrich Leberect Fleischer (1801-1888) was a German Orientalist. He studied theology and eastern languages at Leipzig and Paris and became professor of Oriental Languages at Leipzig University.