The collection of manuscripts from Southeast Asia is characterized by the multitude of languages that can be found in it. Carl Schoemann's important collection alone (272 volumes), which he compiled between 1845 and 1851, comprises 12 language groups. Over the years, the library made a large number of individual acquisitions, but larger holdings could also be acquired, such as an extensive collection of Burmese manuscripts in the years 1969-1971.