Anders Burius
Erik Anders Burius, was a Swedish intellectual historian and director of the National Library of Sweden's manuscript department where he became known as the infamous "KB-mannen" following his theft and sale of several valuable books from the library's collection.
Biography
Anders Burius studied at Uppsala University where in 1984 did his intellectual history dissertation "Ömhet om friheten - Studier i frihetstidens censurpolitik" . He also passed degrees in law, librarian, and real estate broker. After his studies, he worked among others, at the Caroline Institute's library. Towards the end of the 1980s he applied for the position of professor in History of Books at Lund University, but did not receive it despite ardent appeals in the appointment process. Instead, for a short period, Anders Burius pursued a legal career before returning to the library world in 1995 as director of the National Library of Sweden's manuscript department.In a book released in 1995, "Biblioteken, kulturen och den sociala intelligensen", Anders Burius expressed in one article the view that all library history investigations need not be scientific in the strictest sense. Instead, Anders Burius emphasized the importance of practical experience and interaction with the current collections in his professional management. On behalf of the Swedish Academy, Anders Burius also wrote a commemorative book on the history of the Nobel Library.
After several years of stealing and selling at least 56 valuable books from the Nation Library's collection to Christoph Calaminus at the auction house Ketterer Kunst in Hamburg, Anders Burius was exposed and later confessed to the thefts in 2004. On 8 December 2004, at 04:39 am SOS Alarm received calls about a major explosion in central Stockholm. Thirteen fire trucks from four fire departments were sent to the scene, sixteen police patrols blocked off the area, and fifty-five people were evacuated by bus. During a short release from pre-court custody Anders Burius had died by suicide by slitting his wrist and cutting the gas line in his apartment, which later resulted in an extensive explosion with about a dozen people injured. His body was found among the debris four days later.