Burned Books

"I consign to the flames the writings of..." This was the beginning of almost all so-called "fire slogans." The destruction was literally celebrated. To this day, it remains one of the last major victories of National Socialism.

The works of Lili Grün, Kurt Pinthus, or Jakob van Hoddis are almost forgotten. Feminist poems from the Romanesque Café, political essays, short stories, and expressionist masterpieces disappeared from our discourse.

Our project #BurnedBooks aims to raise awareness about censorship of literature and freedom of expression while also commemorating the book burning of 1933. On May 10th, we planned a Read-In at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, where invited guests and passers-by would read together from the works of the aforementioned poets and writers. This gathering served as a collective remembrance of the 90th anniversary of the book burning. In the evening, we planned a documentary theater performance at the House of Poetry. Additionally, we aim to give these works a voice on TikTok in order to reach new generations of readers who are already discovering new literature on #BookTok. With #BurnedBooks, we intend to generate attention for this issue in Berlin and aim to expand this concept internationally to Tehran, Kiev, and New York. We are collecting donations to cover fees, venue rental, and other costs associated with this non-profit cultural event (see needs).

About ELDA:
A functioning democracy requires more than just procedural rules or accountability. Democracy is a process of value-oriented interactions. It is based on attitudes and the art of debating and civil engagement. In short, democracy is not possible without leadership and public communication.

About Stahlmedien:
Stahlmedien is a media marketing company in Berlin that specializes in developing attitudes, storytelling, strategic communication, and change management for companies and organizations. The company works closely with its clients to develop a strategic concept that effectively and efficiently communicates the company's attitude. It relies on credible and authentic stories that are positive, sustainable, and emotional and focus on the needs and interests of clients. The company also offers tailored and sustainable concepts for clear, consistent, and impactful internal and external communication, as well as change management solutions.

#BurnedBooks is a project by Berlin author and filmmaker Christian Stahl. Sabine Devins is the social media director of the BurnedBookTok project. Jörg Braunsdorf is the literary director. Scientific advice is provided by Paul Spies, director of the Stadtmuseum Berlin and chief curator of the State of Berlin at the Humboldt Forum.

#BurnedBooks is created in collaboration with ELDA, Stahlmedien, Tucholsky-Buchhandlung, and the Read!Berlin literature festival - Idea, copyright & contact: Christian Stahl, founder of elda gGmbH & Stahlmedien.