Hitler burned books to remove the jewish influence from german culture during world war ii. Several people read excerpts from book which were destroyed by the nazis on that fateful day. Crowds gather at berlin s opernplatz opera square for the burning of books deemed ungerman. Despite the claims here, the burnings were not a spontaneous act on the part of the german students association, the name taken by the nazi student group of the university of berlin but a carefully planned and orchestrated event carried out by the association and nazi private police. Heinrich heine wrote, where they burn books, they will also ultimately burn people holocaust history.
On may 10, 1933, university students in opera square in berlin and elsewhere throughout nazi germany burned thousands of books in an ominous cleansing of anything considered ungerman from the. Where books are burned, they will, in the end burn people, too heinrich heine 17971856, german poet eric metaxas in chapter 10 of his celebrated book, bonhoeffer. Pastor, martyr, prophet, spy, in a subsection called where books are burned. They tried to extinguish and eradicate this part of german culture. Over 25,000 books were burned in germany on may 10, 1933.
The biggest bonfire was in berlin where more than 70,000 people went to see the burning of. May 10, 1933 an event unseen since the middle ages occurs as german students from universities formerly regarded as among the finest in the world, gather in berlin and other german cities to burn books with ungerman ideas. Apr, 2014 unused unissued material no paperwork dates unclear or unknown. Nazi book bonfires on the evening of may 10, 1933, some 70,000 people gathered at the opernplatz in berlin. Hermann goebbels, nazi propaganda minister, makes a speech praising the actions of the students all photographs are. Book burnings in germany, 1933 american experience. The nazis did not burn books that is more fake history.
That night, tens of thousands of copies of books deemed undesirable by the nazi regime were consigned to. Dort, wo man bucher verbrennt, verbrennt man am ende auch menschen. May 10, 20 may the events of may 10, 1933, eighty years ago today, serve as a reminder to us all of where unchallenged repression and insistence on conformity and the affirmation of shared values can lead. The books were publicly burned at berlins opernplatz. On may 10, 1933, german students under the nazi regime burned tens of thousands of books nationwide.
She wrote a letter of protest, published by the new york times, after the 10 may burnings. The day did not go completely unnoticed here in munich today. Describe the scene of the 1933 book burning in nazi germany. On may 10, 1933, university students in 34 university towns across germany burned over 25,000 books. The square outside berlin university a bonfire burns as hitler youth members walk past carrying nazi flags. On 10th of may 1933, exactly 80 years ago, nazi student organizations burned tenthousands of ungerman books on the opera place in berlin. May 10, 1933 an event unseen since the middle ages occurs as german. He ordered leaders of the regime to confiscate and destroy any literature deemed subversive to the national socialist agenda. The leader speaks in the berlin sports palace 1933 dr. Berlin, germany, may 10, 1933, wide world photo, accessed despite goebbels assertions, the new era only grew darker. Sa troops and nazi student group members unload books to be burned. Book burning united states holocaust memorial museum. On may 10, 1933, in university towns around germany, the crowning event of the monthlong, studentorganized action against the ungerman spirit campaign took place.
A few days later may 10, the institutes library and archives were hauled out and burned in the streets of the opernplatz. Crowds gather at berlins opernplatz opera square for the burning of books deemed ungerman. See the article in its original context from may 10, 1933, page 1 buy reprints. More than 20,000 books were brought to the square for the event. May 10, 1933 marks the date of the infamous book burnings across germany. The assembly of the books had started on the sixth, when students dragged. The may 1933 book burning in nazi germany had a precedent in nineteenth century germany. On 6 may 1933, members of the german student union dst which had been in existence since 1919, made an organised attack on the institute of sex research in berlins tiergarten area. The piazza became renowned after the shocking incident that took place on the evening of 10 may 1933. The main book burning took place at berlin s opera square, known today as bebel square, on the evening of may 10, 1933. The main book burning took place at berlins opera square, known today as bebel square, on the evening of may 10, 1933. On may 10, 1933 there occurred across germany a mass destruction of some of germanys most valuable creative works. Enthusiastic crowds witnessed the burning of books by brecht, einstein, freud, mann and remarque, among. The works of jewish authors like albert einstein and sigmund freud went up in flames alongside.
Ten years ago, the nazis burned these books but free americans can still read them. Klee taught at the bauhaus but fled to switzerland in 1933. Books burn as goebbels speaks germany, may 10, 1933 video. May 10, 1933 nazis burn books in germany the history place. Nov 02, 2010 on january 30, 1933, adolf hitler became the chancellor of germany, and on may 10, 1933, thousands of books were burned in the opernplatz in berlin and other german cities.
Students had carted over 20,000 books to the public square,the nazi student leader herbert gutjahr held a contemptuous speech. Book burning in berlin facing history and ourselves. The city of munich staged a small event titled reading against forgetting. You can burn my books and the books of the best minds in europe, but the. As german jewish poet heinrich heine wrote in an 1821 play which was among the works burned that night, where they burn books, they will also ultimately burn people. Nazi party leaders and student groups from various universities gathered to burn books which they considered to be ungerman in spirit.
The list also included prominent artists paul klee and marc chagall. April 1933 news articles, editorials, opeds, letters to the editor and political cartoons regarding the german student associations call for action against the ungerman spirit. On the night of may 10, 1933, an event unseen in europe since the middle ages occurred as german students from universities once regarded as among the finest in the world, gathered in berlin to burn books with ungerman ideas. Magnus hirschfeld, a jewish and homosexual sexuality researcher. A ritual public burning of noxious jewish writings was held opposite the university of berlin on may 10, 1933. When books were burned in nazi germany scrapbookpages blog. On may 10, 1933, university students in 34 towns throughout germany burned upwards of 25,000 volumes of ungerman books, presaging an era of state censorship and control of culture. On 10 may 1933, the students burned upwards of 25,000 volumes of ungerman books in the square at the state opera, berlin, thereby presaging an era of. Mar 31, 20 books burn as goebbels speaks germany, may 10, 1933. On may 10, 1933, university students in 34 university towns across germany burned. May 10, 2017 a crowd gathers to witness thousands of books, considered to be ungerman, burn in opera square in berlin, germany, during the buecherverbrennung book burnings on may 10, 1933. Goebbels speech as reported in the volkischer beobachter, the official nazi party newspaper, may 12, 1933.
German students gather around books they regard as ungerman. A crowd gathers to witness thousands of books, considered to be ungerman, burn in opera square in berlin, germany, during the buecherverbrennung book burnings on may 10, 1933. Nazis round up books to burn in hamburg, germany, may 15, 1933. Students had carted over 20,000 books to the public square, including works by famous german authors like. On 10 may 1933, members of the nazi german student union and their professors burnt books as part of a nationwide action against the ungerman spirit. When people started burning books today i found out. The burning of books under the nazi regime on may 10, 1933, is perhaps the most famous book burning in history. More night time shots people throw books onto the burning bonfire. May 10, 2016 on may 10, 1933, in university towns around germany, the crowning event of the monthlong, studentorganized action against the ungerman spirit campaign took place. Wherever they burn books they will also, in the end, burn human beings. On may 10, 1933, under the leadership of goebbels, thousands of people were gathered into the streets of germany where books thought to harm nazi germany were burned. May 10 17, 1933 news articles about the nazi book burnings may 11 31, 1933 editorials, opeds, letters to the editor, and political cartoons reacting to the book burnings and nazi suppression of free speech.
As the fire roared, students danced and chanted the names of the authors whose works were aflame. On 6 may 1933, members of the german student union dst which had been in existence since 1919, made an organised attack on the institute of sex research in berlin s tiergarten area. On january 30, 1933, adolf hitler became the chancellor of germany, and on may 10, 1933, thousands of books were burned in the opernplatz in berlin and other german cities. Heinrich heine german poet and writer, 17971856 may 10, 1933 marks the date of the infamous book burnings across germany. From the leftwing authors the books of karl marx, friedrich engels, bertolt brecht, leon trotsky, etc. The bebelplatz is known as the site of one of the infamous nazi book burning ceremonies held in the evening of 10 may 1933 in many german university cities. This content is available in the following languages. Throughout germany on may 10, 1933, thousands of people came out to witness these horrid events. Left deaf and blind by illness at a young age, the alabamaborn writer promoted the disabled, workers, and womens rights.
These chilling words not only forecasted the events to come, but also went up in flames in germany during the nazi book burning. What most people dont realize is that the books that were burned in berlin were taken from the shelves of the library of humbolt university, across the street from the. May 10, 1933, a public burning of books in berlin, germany. Books burn as goebbels speaks germany, may 10, 1933 youtube. Seventy five years ago, the nazis staged what is probably the most infamous of all book burnings. May the events of may 10, 1933, eighty years ago today, serve as a reminder to us all of where unchallenged repression and insistence on conformity. Jul 07, 2016 books burn as goebbels speaks germany, may 10, 1933. Book burnings in germany, 1933 american experience official.
The mobs also burned the books of helen keller, an american author who was a socialist, a pacifist, and the first deafblind person to graduate from college. The ap article reported that 20,000 books had been piled up in berlin to be lit on fire at 11. That night, tens of thousands of copies of books deemed undesirable by the nazi regime were consigned to the flames. During this book burning, several irreplaceable books were destroyed, including many written by sigmund freud, albert einstein and other scholars. On 10 may 1933, the students burned upwards of 25,000 volumes of ungerman books in the square at the state opera, berlin, thereby presaging an era of uncompromising state censorship. Among the jewish authors whose books were burned were albert einstein, sigmund freud, franz werfel, max brod, franz kafka, and many others. On may 10, 1933 student groups at universities across germany carried out a series of book burnings of works that the students and leading nazi party members associated with an ungerman spirit. Book burnings in opernplatz, berlin one of the first targets of adolf hitler and his nazi organization were books. Nazi book burnings 10 may 1933 the british newspaper. To a writer, a bookworm, or a believer in the freedom of press and knowledge, there is nothing quite as horrifying as hearing about piles of books getting eaten by flames, never to be read again, particularly in instances in history where some of the books being burned were extremely rare and since lost to us other. On the evening of may 10, 1933, some 70,000 people gathered at the opernplatz in berlin. Here in front of the opera house in berlin, a chanting crowd burns books written by jews and leftist intellectuals. The students threw books onto large bonfires with great ceremony, bandplaying, and socalled fire oaths. Unused unissued material no paperwork dates unclear or unknown.
On may 10, 1933, university students burn upwards of 25,000 ungerman books in berlins opera square. Some 40,000 people gather to hear joseph goebbels deliver a fiery address. Books burn as goebbels speaks germany, may 10, 1933. In many other university towns, nationalist students marched in torch lit parades against the ungerman spirit. In the middle of the square on 10 may 1933, nazi students burnt the works of hundreds of independent authors, journalists, philosophers and academics. Berlin, germany, may 10, 1933, national archives and records administration, accessed. In 1933, nazi storm troopers invaded, ransacked, and closed the institute for sexual sciences in berlin, founded by dr. Students contribute antigerman books to be destroyed at a berlin bookburning on may 10, 1933. On 10 may 1933 thousands of books banned by germanys national socialist regime were tossed into flaming pyres. This began in 1933, shortly after hitler seized power in germany. The book burnings were initiated and hosted by the nationalist german student association, thus stealing a march on the national socialist german students league. The burning of the books 10 may 1933 berlin, german.
596 1280 411 645 1401 1510 158 753 97 1464 829 773 1147 294 1063 1319 350 1285 99 788 37 1162 1208 469 1448 284 617 1403 1582 99 552 168 305 711 138 108 1215 402 233 840 734