On May 10, 1933, Nazi students at universities across Germany pillaged and burned books they claimed were “un-German.” The targeted books were those they deemed contrary to Nazi goals and beliefs. The book burnings are an example of the regime's efforts to censor and control all aspects of German culture.
![German students gather around books they regard as "un-German." [LCID: 71188]](https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/images/large/0d9d8d42-3cb1-4750-b976-405155a00534.jpg "German students gather around books they regard as \"un-German.\" [LCID: 71188]")
Germans crowd around a truck filled with "un-German" books, confiscated from the library of the Institute for Sexual Science, for burning by the Nazis. The books were publically burned at Berlin's Opernplatz (Opera Square). Berlin, Germany, May 10, 1933.
Item View![Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels (at podium) praises students and members of the SA for their efforts to destroy books deemed ... [LCID: 85339b]](https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/images/large/cd62b4a8-3914-4cce-8cd4-8038e2a38107.jpg "Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels (at podium) praises students and members of the SA for their efforts to destroy books deemed ... [LCID: 85339b]")
Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels (at podium) praises students and members of the SA for their efforts to destroy books deemed "un-German" during the book burning at Berlin's Opernplatz (opera square). Germany, May 10, 1933.
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Joseph Goebbels, German propaganda minister, speaks on the night of book burning. Berlin, Germany, May 10, 1933.
Item View![At Berlin's Opernplatz, crowds of German students and members of the SA gather for the burning of books deemed "un-German." [LCID: 01623]](https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/images/large/5ceb2dab-bab2-4c3d-ac4f-2a7382ebc782.jpg "At Berlin's Opernplatz, crowds of German students and members of the SA gather for the burning of books deemed \"un-German.\" [LCID: 01623]")
At Berlin's Opernplatz, crowds of German students and members of the SA gather for the burning of books deemed "un-German." Berlin, Germany, May 10, 1933.
Item View![Public burning of "un-German" books in the Opernplatz. [LCID: 71182b]](https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/images/large/8f5020a4-eb1a-4433-999d-dceb6f426306.jpg "Public burning of \"un-German\" books in the Opernplatz. [LCID: 71182b]")
Public burning of "un-German" books in the Opernplatz (Opera Square) in Berlin. Students, some in SA uniform, march in a torchlight procession. Berlin, May 10, 1933.
Item View![At Berlin's Opernplatz, an SA man throws books into the flames at the public burning of books deemed "un-German." [LCID: 01622]](https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/images/large/313b44c6-eb01-4c86-9bc3-cf70d8bc991b.jpg "At Berlin's Opernplatz, an SA man throws books into the flames at the public burning of books deemed \"un-German.\" [LCID: 01622]")
At Berlin's Opernplatz (Opera Square), an SA man throws books into the flames at the public burning of books deemed "un-German." This image is a still from a motion picture. Berlin, Germany, May 10, 1933.
Item View![In Hamburg, members of the SA and students from the University of Hamburg burn books they regard as "un-German." [LCID: 71181a]](https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/images/large/3533967f-c2a3-487f-a23f-577edb9a7f05.jpg "In Hamburg, members of the SA and students from the University of Hamburg burn books they regard as \"un-German.\" [LCID: 71181a]")
In Hamburg, members of the SA and students from the University of Hamburg burn books they regard as "un-German." Hamburg, Germany, May 15, 1933.
Item View![Students and members of the SA with armfuls of literature deemed "un-German" during the book burning in Berlin. [LCID: 69031]](https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/images/large/73086168-b0f6-4c00-9de4-742a3655fea7.jpg "Students and members of the SA with armfuls of literature deemed \"un-German\" during the book burning in Berlin. [LCID: 69031]")
Students and members of the SA with armfuls of literature deemed "un-German" during the book burning in Berlin. Germany, May 10, 1933.
Item View![Public burning of "un-German" books in the Opernplatz. [LCID: 70137]](https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/images/large/485862cd-b142-4c05-9a6f-c809642d4740.jpg "Public burning of \"un-German\" books in the Opernplatz. [LCID: 70137]")
Public burning of "un-German" books in the Opernplatz (Opera Square). Berlin, Germany, May 10, 1933.
Item View![At Berlin's Opernplatz, the burning of books and other printed materials considered "un-German" by members of the SA and students ... [LCID: 68984]](https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/images/large/7a073552-a7d7-4b4e-a7b7-6fcc026f8d29.jpg "At Berlin's Opernplatz, the burning of books and other printed materials considered \"un-German\" by members of the SA and students ... [LCID: 68984]")
At Berlin's Opernplatz, the burning of books and other printed materials considered "un-German" by members of the SA and students from universities and colleges in Berlin. Germany, May 10, 1933.
Item View![Book burning in Berlin. Germany, May 10, 1933. [LCID: 69002]](https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/images/large/b811ec76-917d-4326-a10f-0163ea3240fe.jpg "Book burning in Berlin. Germany, May 10, 1933. [LCID: 69002]")
Book burning in Berlin. Germany, May 10, 1933.
Item View![Crowds gather at Berlin's Opernplatz for the burning of books deemed "un-German." [LCID: 73492]](https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/images/large/f9b64c09-51bb-4e79-9721-144765dedc9f.jpg "Crowds gather at Berlin's Opernplatz for the burning of books deemed \"un-German.\" [LCID: 73492]")
Crowds gather at Berlin's Opernplatz (opera square) for the burning of books deemed "un-German." Berlin, Germany, May 10, 1933.
Item View![Across Germany, students took books by truck, furniture van, even oxcart, and heaped them into pyres on public squares. [LCID: 70106]](https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/images/large/5adf6ba1-a336-4ba7-b64f-7ede359a2133.jpg "Across Germany, students took books by truck, furniture van, even oxcart, and heaped them into pyres on public squares. [LCID: 70106]")
Across Germany, students took books by truck, furniture van, even oxcart, and heaped them into pyres on public squares. This image shows members of the SA and students from the University of Frankfurt with oxen pulling manure carts loaded with books deemed "un-German." Frankfurt am Main, Germany, May 10, 1933.
Item View![Students and members of the SA unload books deemed "un-German" during the book burning in Berlin. [LCID: 45032]](https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/images/large/2317d44c-65b8-4ef5-b908-501347b1940a.jpg "Students and members of the SA unload books deemed \"un-German\" during the book burning in Berlin. [LCID: 45032]")
Students and members of the SA unload books deemed "un-German" during the book burning in Berlin. The banner reads: "German students march against the un-German spirit." Berlin, Germany, May 10, 1933.
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![Books and writings deemed "un-German" are burned at the Opernplatz. [LCID: 31077]](https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/images/large/404e35c3-5fac-4f59-95b9-1a9982683c88.jpg "Books and writings deemed \"un-German\" are burned at the Opernplatz. [LCID: 31077]")