Authors Targeted by the Nazi Book Burnings

The Nazi book burnings of 1933 targeted works that were considered "un-German," subversive, or opposed to Nazi ideology. The books were often by Jewish authors, leftists, pacifists, or others deemed enemies of the state. Below is a list of notable authors whose works were burned: 

Jewish Authors 

1.  Albert Einstein - Scientific writings and pacifist essays

2.  Franz Kafka - Novels and short stories that defied traditional narrative and explored existential themes, such as The Trial and The Castle    

3.  Sigmund Freud - Works on psychoanalysis, including The Interpretation of Dreams, Civilization and its Discontents 

4.  Stefan Zweig - Essays and novels critical of authoritarianism 

5.  Martin Buber – Jewish theologian

6.  George Grosz – Drawings

Leftist Authors 

7.  Karl Marx - Political writings, including The Communist Manifesto, Das Kapital  writings

8.  Erich Maria Remarque - All Quiet on the Western Front, an anti-war novel 

9.  Bertolt Brecht - Plays and poems with socialist and anti-fascist themes 

10. Rosa Luxemburg - Political essays and revolutionary writings 

11. Erich Kästner – Emil and the Detectives 

12. Vladimir Lenin – Communist writings 

13. Zola, Émile -- Germinal 

Pacifists and Humanitarians 

14. Heinrich Heine - Romantic poetry and essays; Ironically, Heine wrote the famous line: "Where they burn books, they will also burn people." 

15. Helen Keller - How I Became a Socialist and writings on disability rights and pacifism. 

16. Aldous Huxley – Brave New World, An Encyclopedia of Pacifism 

Modernist and Avant-Garde Writers 

17. Thomas Mann - Essays critical of nationalism, though his major novels, such as Buddenbrooks and other works, were also scrutinized.  

18. Hugo Ball - Founding figure of Dadaism, with writings against authoritarianism 

19. Kurt Tucholsky - Satirical writings critical of the Weimar Republic's enemies and rising fascism

Feminist Writers 

20. Clara Zetkin - Writings on women's rights and socialism 

21. Else Lasker-Schüler - Expressionist poetry and plays 

22. Margaret Sanger – Writings on women's rights, such as My Fight for Birth Control 

Other Targets 

23. Jack London - The Call of the Wild and socialist essays

24. Upton Sinclair - Critiques of capitalism in works like The Jungle

25. H.G. Wells - Works on science fiction and social commentary

26. Émile Zola - Writings on social injustice, particularly J'accuse! 

27. Friedrich Nietzsche - Ironically targeted for certain works, though selectively co-opted by the Nazis

28. Hermann Hesse – Steppenwolf and other novels 

29. Emil Ludwig – Biographies of notable figures like Napoleon and Goethe 

30. Ernest Hemingway – A Farewell to Arms

31. Sinclair Lewis – Babbit, Main Street