As opposition grew against those whose opinions countered Nazi ideology prior to World War II, students sought to burn books as part of a ceremony meant to cleanse and purify the German language and it's literature.
In addition to the book burnings, artists, writers, and scientists were forbidden to continue their work and were banned from libraries and universities. In addition to the destruction of their works, these authors also faced persecution. Many writers were forced into exile, had their citizenship denied or revoked, or were later executed or imprisoned in concentration camps.
The book burnings were a success for the students. The campaign, known as "Action Against the Un-German Spirit, took place in the towns of 34 universities across the country.
In 1946, the Allied occupation created a similar censorship program, where millions of books, including textbooks and poetry, and pieces of artwork seeming to relate to Nazi ideology were destroyed. The requirements for such censorship were broad, and thousands of confiscated books and paintings were shipped to the United States, where they remain today.
