Nazi Book Burning In Germany

Book Burning In a reaction to the Nazi book burning, Helen Keller once wrote in a letter to the students of Germany saying, “History has taught you nothing if you think you can kill ideas. Tyrants have tried to do that often before, and the ideas have risen up in their might and destroyed them.” Right before World War II students from universities across Germany gathered to burn books. Book burning is lighting of fire to books or other written material, in a public area. It is usually done from a cultural, religious, or political perspective. Book burning was an important event in World War II, literature was the first target, and the Americans had many different responses. Nazi book burning was a big event in World War II. Students from universities throughout Germany were the ones who planned out the book burnings. Also,
members of SA participated in the book burnings. SA is an abbreviation for Sturmabteilung, which is Assault Division in English, they are otherwise known as “Storm Troopers” or “Brownshirts.” They burnt book they thought were “un-German” and was against the “German spirit.” Literature was the first target for World War II.
The Nazis burnt over 25,000 books and records. Some of the authors whose books were burnt were: Helen Keller, Albert Einstein, Bertolt Brecht, August Bebel, Heinrich Heine, and etcetera. The largest book burning was in Berlin’s Opera Square on May 10, 1933, although they were spread out across Germany and over 30 universities participated. Literature is usually the first to be targeted, although, as Helen Keller said, you cannot kill the ideas that the books propose. Some of Americans responses to the book burnings were uplifting and gave many people hope. An abundant of Americans decided to march the streets of New York, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Chicago, and etcetera. They protested against book burnings and the happenings in Germany for six hours straight. Several American authors went against the book burnings. Helen Keller wrote a letter to the students of Germany and Thomas Mann described the book burning as “a stupid ceremony.” Many reporters spoke their opinions about it openly. The book burnings started the protesting against Hitler and the Nazis in the
Americas. In conclusion, book burning was a significant event, literature was the first to be targeted, and the Americans had a mixture of reactions. The biggest book burning was on May 10, 1933 in Berlin’s Opera Square. The students of universities across Germany prepared and participated in the book burnings. They burnt over 25,000 books and records. They burnt books against the “German spirit.” Americans marched the streets of New York, Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Chicago. Many authors wrote about the book burnings publically. Hopefully literature won’t be targeted again and book burnings will not recur.