On 10 may 1933 at an evening time the nazi party burnt books. Book burning memorial at bebelplatz, berlin tripadvisor. The bebelplatz is surrounded by beautiful buildings and very impressive but the memorial to the book burning is worthy of note. Few places in berlin can rival the fascinating and disturbing history of bebelplatz. There was some musicians playing classical music when we visited in august 2019. On may 10th, 1933, the national socialists nazis held their first book burning at this location. It was a top thing i wanted to see in berlin, but i almost missed it. The burning of books under the nazi regime on may 10, 1933, is perhaps the most famous book burning in history. The earliest recorded incident of bookburning in history appears, however, to be emperor qin shi huangs order in 2 bc that all books of philosophy and history from anywhere other than qin. Plaque at bebelplaz commemorating nazi book burning, 10 may 1933. Students were whipped up into a frenzy and burned books from the university library which they deemed unsuitable. Now youll find a memorial in the ground here a glass window allows you to look down into a sort of room where all the walls are empty bookshelves. A glass plate, set into the cobblestones of the square, allows passersby to peer. Bebelplatz berlin 2020 all you need to know before you.
A beautiful square with historic buildings all around and a sad history this was where the nazis burned books they deemed inappropriate. Home to humboldt university, the state opera, and st. Bombing of dresden 45 and bebelplatz in berlin blogger. May, 20 on may 10, 1933, german students under the nazi regime burned tens of thousands of books nationwide. Bebelplatz, the site of the 1933 nazi book burning incident, has a glasscovered underground empty bookshelf sculpture in the center of the square to commemorate. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. Memorial of the book burning on bebelplatz berlin creme.
If you book with tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. Todays monument to the book burning on bebelplatz was inaugurated in 1995. A brief history of book burning, from the printing press to. A brief history of book burning, from the printing press. Bebelplatz berlin all you need to know before you go. Bebelplatz book burning site dark tourism the guide to dark. Book your tickets online for book burning memorial at bebelplatz, berlin. If youre a history buff or book lover, this plaza will be of particular interest. We recommend booking book burning memorial at bebelplatz tours ahead of time to secure your spot. The site of the famous nazi book burning campaign of 1933 remembers its night of shame. The book burning memorial in berlin is located in bebelplatz square. Aug 31, 2017 a brief history of book burning, from the printing press to internet archives as long as there have been books, people have burned thembut over the years, the motivation has changed. It is a beautiful rectangular, completely paved square except for a small glass plate set in the paving from which you will notice.
Where they have burned books, they will end in burning human beings dort, wo man bucher verbrennt, verbrennt man am ende auch menschen about burning. The bebelplatz book burning on the evening of may 10th in 1933 was part of a larger campaign by the german student union to ceremonially burn books considered subversive and representing ideologies opposed to nazism. Media in category book burning memorial on bebelplatz the following 23 files are in this category, out of 23 total. A glass plate, set into the cobblestones of the square, allows passersby to peer into a sunken library. It was some sort of the celebration in most of german, university towns, which was supported by a german student initiative. The square took its name bebelplatz after august bebel, founder of the social democratic party of germany. Among the many books that were torched were ones written by thomas mann, heinrich and karl marx.
Sep 10, 2010 the earliest recorded incident of book burning in history appears, however, to be emperor qin shi huangs order in 2 bc that all books of philosophy and history from anywhere other than qin. We were standing in the middle of bebelplatz, a large square in berlin, germany, where the nazi book burning of all books by jewish writers or about the jewish faith occurred in 1933, and which now was the location for a memorial for the book burning travesty. From magnificent opera, stunning architecture, a prestigious college and a unique memorial to a dreadful nazi book burning. Very touching memorial yo the book burning in the floor make. Historical name is opernplatz opera square it is named bebelplatz bebel square since 1947. The most unusual monument i have ever seen is the bookburning memorial, called empty bookshelves. But there is one that touches me every time i see it the memorial for the book burning on bebelplatz. You will also find a memorial for the nazi book burning that occurred here in 1933.
The memorial is a subtarrenean room visible through a glass pane in the ground. On may 10, 1933, german students under the nazi regime burned tens of thousands of books nationwide. The bebel place bebelplatz, berlin, best known by its book burning. This is where the nazi book burnings occurred, where thousands upon thousands of books were burned in a single day. Home locations wartimeni travels berlin 2017 bebelplatz book burning memorial, berlin, germany. Empty bookshelves bookburning memorial walled in berlin. Throughout history, says matt fishburn, author of burning books.
Book burning refers to the ritual destruction by fire of books or other written materials. Heres why and other tips for visiting the bebelplatz book burning memorial. Apr 24, 2015 thanks for your comment, amusing2write the anniversary of the bebelplatz book burning is just around the corner, on may 10th. It was the site of the notorious nazi book burning in 1933. Hedwigs cathedral, it was also the scene of a memorable nazi event of 1933. Bebelplatz travel guidebook must visit attractions in. If this is supposed to be an empty bookcase maybe it is related.
From magnificent opera, stunning architecture, a prestigious college and a unique memorial to a dreadful nazi book burning, learn more with free tours by foot. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. Everything began when the library of an institute about sexes. 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. The book burnings were initiated and hosted by the nationalist german student association, thus stealing a march on the national socialist german students league. Bebelplatz travel guidebook must visit attractions in berlin. Bebelplatz book burning site dark tourism the guide to. St hedwigs cathedral, bebelplatz, berlin, germany, europe. Bebelplatz berlin 2020 what to know before you go with. Jul 14, 20 berlin is full of monuments, memorials and historical sites and it is nearly impossible to know all of them. Controversially, an underground car park was built under bebelplatz in 2004 but the monument was spared, and today you dont get anything of the car park that would distract from the monument. The bebelplatz is known as the site of the infamous nazi book burning ceremony held in the evening of may 10, 1933 by members of the sa brownshirts, ss, nazi students and hitler youth groups, on the instigation of propaganda minister joseph goebbels.
It is also home of the state opera building and the oldest roman catholic church. Controversially, an underground car park was built under bebelplatz in 2004 but the monument was spared, and today you dont get anything of the car park that. Bebelplatz is a historic square surrounded by magnificent buildings such as st. The square is however best known for the infamous book burning in 1933. A beautiful square with historic buildings all around and a sad history this was where the. Bebelplatz berlin 2020 all you need to know before you go.
We went as part of alla tours all day tour of berlin from our cruise ships one. It is named after august bebel, one of the founders of the social democratic party of germany 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. Nov 26, 2012 bombing of dresden 45 and bebelplatz in berlin. 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. Members of the nazi german student union organised a book burning, throwing important works of world literature onto the fire. This site holds so much history and i couldnt miss seeing it in person while i was in berlin. The book burning on 10 may 1933, opernplatz became infamous in the annals of history. Bebelplatz is a city square at humbolt university in berlin germany. At midnight on 10 may 1933, german students supportive of. A brief history of book burning, from the printing press to internet archives as long as there have been books, people have burned.
On 10 may 1933, opernplatz became infamous in the annals of history. Bebelplatz berlin updated march 2020 top tips before. At midnight on 10 may 1933, german students supportive of hitlers ideas of purifying the german. If youre a history buff or booklover, this plaza will be of particular interest. The view into the empty bookcases below is quite haunting and read. Visit bebelplatz to see 18thcentury architecture in the staatsoper state opera, the alte bibliothek old library and the stately sankthedwigskathedral st. The memorial to the bookburning on berlins bebelplatz shows an empty, underground library. These book burnings marked the beginning of a period of extensive censorship and control of. It was sobering to see the book burning memorial there. Monument that remembers burns it of books of the library of the university of humboldt. Book burning memorial on bebelplatz wikimedia commons. Bebelplatz, book burning memorial to commemorate the burning of books by the nazis on may 10, 1933, there is a memorial in place in bebelplatz.
Renamed in 1947, bebelplatz was once known as opernplatz. Usually carried out in a public context, the burning of books represents an element of censorship and usually proceeds from a cultural, religious, or political opposition to the materials in question. Accompanied by the jubilations of countless german students and members of national socialist institutions the book burning took. But the unique symbolism of bookburning has a long and sinister history. A plaque next to todays memorial quotes the liberal german author heinrich heine whose books were amongst those burned who as early as 1820 said it was. A beautiful square with historic buildings all around and a sad history this was where the nazis. Nice square, we had a guide telling us about the history. Bebelplatz book burning memorial, berlin, germany wartimeni.