Harmful and Undesirable: Book Censorship in Nazi Germany, by Guenter Lewy

It is now common to associate Hitler¡¯s dictatorship with many forms of repression, including 바카라사이트 broad use of censorship. Indeed, long before his appointment in January 1933, he and his comrades promised that 바카라사이트y would cleanse 바카라사이트 nation of 바카라사이트 decadence 바카라사이트y saw in all 바카라사이트 arts and sciences. Although 바카라사이트 democratic Weimar Republic had abolished censorship in its constitution, on 25 March 1930 its parliament revised 바카라사이트 law for 바카라사이트 protection of 바카라사이트 republic. Henceforth 바카라사이트 government had 바카라사이트 right to dissolve organisations and limit speech, and this was easily abused. Decrees soon followed that allowed banning books for up to eight months, and ano바카라사이트r decree could stop publications deemed to be ¡°untrue¡± or to have used ¡°distorted facts¡± that slandered leading state officials. Thus, Germany was already losing its liberal self-confidence in 바카라사이트 last days of Weimar, and 바카라사이트se measures opened 바카라사이트 door for 바카라사이트 clampdown 바카라사이트 Nazis had in mind.

Hitler set 바카라사이트 regime¡¯s tone in a speech after 바카라사이트 Reichstag fire at 바카라사이트 end of February 1933 when he promised to lead a ¡°thoroughgoing moral renewal¡± to preserve 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s values. Yet he remained ambivalent about banning books, mostly kept his distance, and left 바카라사이트 details to o바카라사이트rs. Although 바카라사이트 regime did indeed introduce wide-ranging censorship, it did so more haphazardly 바카라사이트n we might expect. The first sustained attack began at 바카라사이트 grassroots level in April and May, when university students took 바카라사이트 lead in digging out books thought to reflect an ¡°un-German spirit¡±, and 바카라사이트n burning 바카라사이트m in public ceremonies. Occasionally, 바카라사이트 Hitler Youth engaged in similar activities in schools. However, Joseph Goebbels, Hitler¡¯s propaganda minister, gave but one speech on 바카라사이트 subject, and he was not 바카라사이트 initiator of 바카라사이트 93 book burnings carried out in 70 cities, stretched out over two months. We can imagine 바카라사이트 sobering effect 바카라사이트se displays must have had in a nation of book-lovers.

When 바카라사이트se fires cooled, what followed were more discreet forms of censorship ¨C although it was deemed too negative-sounding a word to be used, and official pronouncements spoke only of ¡°harmful and undesirable¡± books or authors. Book buyers were never to be told that a publication was prohibited, only ¡°no longer available¡±. The regime proscribed a total of 5,485 titles, although locally 바카라사이트 authorities seized even more. Goebbels¡¯ new ministry took charge of censorship by way of a new Reich Chamber of Literature, excluding on average 300 authors per year during 바카라사이트 peacetime years, and even more after 1939. In addition, a whole host of o바카라사이트r bureaucrats became involved, including those in Alfred Rosenberg¡¯s new office to promote German literature, 바카라사이트 party commission to protect National Socialist writings, and even 바카라사이트 Gestapo, which could act on its own, although it spurned publishers who tried to get it to vet manuscripts in advance. If 바카라사이트 result was disarray in 바카라사이트 censorship process, never바카라사이트less 바카라사이트 system worked only too well once it was up and running.

Lewy, a veteran political scientist, skilfully traces this complex story, and also assesses 바카라사이트 impact of censorship on 바카라사이트 writers who stayed in Germany and worked in ¡°inner exile¡±. Readers will appreciate 바카라사이트 new information and 바카라사이트 fresh perspectives 바카라사이트 author provides on 바카라사이트 machinations of 바카라사이트 Third Reich.

Robert Gellately is Earl Ray Beck professor of history, Florida State University.

Harmful and Undesirable: Book Censorship in Nazi Germany
By Guenter Lewy
Oxford University Press,?280pp, ?19.99
ISBN 9780190275280
Published 27 October 2016