Only three months after taking power, the National Socialists began to practice intimidation. A highlight was the creation of the "List of the Un-German Spirit", which included 131 authors. Books by these authors were burned on May 10, 1933 in public places, in more than 20 cities. This was known as "action against the undeutschen spirit". This action and the burns were organized centrally from the circle of the German Student Union. In addition to the systematic and centrally organized incineration, there were many book burnings in many places, which were organized by local actors.
Already in March 1933 there were book burnings in many German cities. At this stage, they were used primarily as a means of intimidation against political opponents. So it came after looting, searches and arrests in some places to spontaneous book burnings.
After May 10, 1933, bookburnings followed, which were inspired by the "Action against the Un-German spirit."
It came to individual actions, for example, at solstice celebrations and similar occasions but also to central actions such as the "fight week against trash and dirty literature" in the area of Baden-Württemberg.
Thus, three phases of National Socialist book burnings can be identified:
Phase 1: So-called "wild burnings" as political street terror against Jews, socialists, communists and others. Immediately after the seizure of power by the National Socialists in March 1933. Until May 1933.
Phase 2: Student book burnings in the context of the "Action against the Un-German spirit". Around the 10th of May 1933
Phase 3: Non-student book burnings from May 1933. Inspired by the burnings of the Second Phases, numerous large-scale book burnings took place until October 1933 under the leadership of various local actors.