Bonfires Of Books (Evening Post, 12 May 1933)
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Summary: Bonfires Of Books (Evening Post, 12 May 1933)
On May 11, 1933, a significant and controversial event took place in Berlin, marking one of the largest book burnings since the Middle Ages. Organized by university students and members of the Nazi party, approximately 20,000 books deemed "un-German" were set ablaze in Opera Square at midnight. This included works by Marxist, pacifist, and Jewish authors, exemplified by the burning of Erich Maria Remarque's "All Quiet on the Western Front" and Lion Feuchtwanger's "Jew Suss." The event drew a large crowd, mainly composed of Nazi supporters, who watched the proceedings with apparent lack of emotion. In Frankfurt, thousands of books soaked in paraffin were similarly consumed by flames, while Munich also witnessed the destruction of around 15,000 books. These book burnings were usually preceded by patriotic demonstrations, highlighting the Nazis' attempts to promote a nationalistic ideology. During the event, Herr Schemm, the Bavarian Minister of Education, delivered a speech proclaiming that the Nazi revolution would better position Germany to lead the world. This moment marks a crucial chapter in the cultural persecution being driven by the Nazi regime, as they targeted various ideological and artistic expressions that contradicted their worldview.
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