Memorial Book Burning Opernplatz

In Berlin the Bebelplatz (formerly known as the Opernplatz) is mainly knowm for the burning of book on 10 May 1933 by members of the S.A. and the Hitlerjugend. About 20,000 books were burned, amongst others books of Thomas Mann, Erich Maria Remarque, Heinrich Heine, Karl Marx and many other well-known authors.

In the deep many bookcases were seen, with space for about 20,000 books. There is also a citation of Heinrich Heine, already written in the 19th century: "Wo man Bücher verbrennt, verbrennt man am Ende auch Menschen (Who burns books, will in the end also burn people)".

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Source

• Text: Frank Meijerink
• Photos: Jeroen Niels (1), Kaj Metz (2)