Content note: Photograph of a Nazi-era book burning with crowd members giving the raised-arm salute and a swastika armband. This object is shown as it was published. Why
Ten years ago: The Nazis burned these books... but free Americans can still read them
A night photograph shows a crowd, many with raised arms, and uniformed men beside a large fire of burning books. The headline 'The Nazis burned these books' is followed by the contrast 'but free Americans can still read them'. The photograph carries the evidence; the closing line sets 'free Americans' against it, a glittering-generalities appeal.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1943
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- Office of War Information
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Persuade or win support
- Themes
- War and the military, Media and information, Home front
- Event
- World War II
- Regime
- Roosevelt administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 44, World War II Posters, retrieved October 4, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work)
Office of War Information. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-376 (NAID 513828).
Text on the object
Ten years ago: THE NAZIS BURNED THESE BOOKS ... but free Americans CAN STILL READ THEM [imprint:] OWI Poster No. 66. Additional copies may be obtained upon request from the Division of Public Inquiries, Office of War Information, Washington, D.C. [imprint:] U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1943-O-528869
