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The Book Thieves
The Book Thieves: The Nazi Looting of Europe's Libraries and the Race to Return a Literary Inheritance | Anders Rydell
For readers of The Monuments Men and The Hare with Amber Eyes, the story of the Nazis' systematic pillaging of Europe's libraries, and the small team of heroic librarians now working to return the stolen books to their rightful owners. While the Nazi party was being condemned by much of the world for burning books, they were already hard at work perpetrating an even greater literary crime. Through extensive new research that included records saved by the Mouments Men themselves--Anders Rydell tells the untold story of Nazi book theft, as he himself joins the effort to return the stolen books. When the Nazi soldiers ransacked Europe's libraries and bookshops, large and small, the books they stole were not burned. Instead, the Nazis began to complie a library of their own that they could use to wage an intellectual war on literature and history. In this secret war, the libraries of Jews, Communists, Liberal politicans, LGBT activists, Catholics, Freemasons, and many other opposition groups were appropriated for Nazi research, and used as an intellectual weapon against their owners. But when the war was over, most of the books were never returned. Instead many found their way into the public library system, where they remain to this day. Now, Rydell finds himself entrusted with one of these stolen volumes, setting out to return it to its rightful owner. It was passed to him by the small team of heroic librarians who have begun the monumental task of combing through Berlin's public libraries to identify the looted books and reunite them with the families of their original owners. For those who lost relatives in the Holocaust, these books are often the only remaining possession of their relatives they have ever held. And as Rydell travels to return the volume he was given, he shows just how much a single book can mean to those who own it.
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Texreader
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My personal haul from the Houston bookstores. I‘ve already read the Sansom book years ago ❤️ but got this one to match my set of books. I haven‘t distributed the book gifts to the family yet, so await more pics!

ReadosaurusText Nice haul! 🤩 6y
70 likes1 comment
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Lea
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Mehso-so

This is a very academic book. It is chronicling the information (is that repetitive?!). I was anticipating something along the lines of The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu and The Monuments amen. It is not that. The translation is good and the information is important but it‘s low on readability. #booksintranslation

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specificity
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What happened to those books? What these books mean to the Third Reich? A really good research on these topics and comes with a lot of forgotten stories.

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bookwrm526
Pickpick

Interesting history - when I think of Nazis and books I think of burning, but there was a lot more to the history than that. I wanted more stories of families getting their books back, and it was a little repetitive in places, but I‘m glad I read it.

40 likes1 comment
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Miss_Kim
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minkyb 😥 7y
Miss_Kim I know 😢 7y
40 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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BlueStockingReviews
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Pickpick

5⭐️. I loved this book, but it broke my heart. It is the story of lost intellect and memories. You may think you know what happened, but Rydell makes it real. The book is about the literary treasures that were lost all over Europe between 1933 and 1945. If you care about book read this! https://lharvey250.tumblr.com/post/157528431424/the-book-thieves-the-nazi-lootin...

TrishB Great read 👍 7y
BlueStockingReviews Yes it is! 7y
68 likes4 stack adds2 comments
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Miss_Kim
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And the second library stack! Can you guess what we do on the snowy winter days here on Georgian Bay? 😁

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WW2Reads
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This is a brilliant book so far! Highly recommended! Stachie the Cow Cat agrees! #catsoflitsy #ww2 #booksaboutbooks

rubyslippersreads 😻🐄 7y
23 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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Erynecki
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I've just started this book and I'm already sucked into the writing, people, and anecdotes. So much was stolen by the Nazis and the chronicle told in this book is one way to rescue the stories.
Update: A detailed chronicle of the Nazi's systematic looting of Europe's libraries and private collections. Anders looks at contemporary restitution efforts and takes us on the very personal journey of the return of one single book.

15 likes2 stack adds
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Ja_Mez
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Bailedbailed

The Book Thieves by Anders Rydell.

This book covers the Nazi looting of libraries throughout Europe, and the steps that have been taken to recover the books since then. While the content sounds interesting, the writing itself failed to hold to my attention. Unfortunately it was a bust for me.

#bookstagram #books #bookreview #booksandcoffee

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drokka
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I'm really enjoying this one. It's amazing how many books survived despite the book burnings and destruction of libraries by the Nazis.
Kind of some language or other attempts cultural irradiation, I'm astonished at how often it's the oppressors, who for bizarre reasons, end up saving the thing they mean to obliterate.

TrishB Fascinating book. 7y
64 likes6 stack adds1 comment
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kyraleseberg
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Pickpick

This was a highly researched in-depth read discussing the history/fate of plundered books across Europe, the history of Jewish culture, Nazi war strategies, and the crimes committed against an entire people.
"The Nazis knew how important books were to the Jews. Reading makes you into a human being. When someone takes it away from you they also steal your thoughts. They wanted to destroy the Jews by robbing them of what was most important to them."

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Itchyfeetreader
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Amused to find this little stamp in a book where we are staying ..

monkeygirlsmama 😂You shall not steal! 👈 8y
Jess_Read_This 😂😂😂 8y
15 likes2 comments
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kyraleseberg
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This has been such an in-depth read, discussing the horrifyingly methodical tactics of the Nazis not only in plundering vast book and art collections but in the torture and extermination of people. I wasn't expecting the haunting details but it is important to read so that we never forget. If we don't forget, we will not let this happen again. Ever.

TrishB Agreed. 8y
23 likes1 stack add1 comment
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kyraleseberg
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Haven and I went to a wildlife presentation for kids at the library this morning and I grabbed these gems for tomorrow's bad weather threat.
We always have some strange weather during Masters week 🙄

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Jennie748
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Pickpick

This was horrifying and fascinating, though at times it was hard to remember which group and library was which.

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Floresj
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Pickpick

Academic read, with a focus on the plundering of Nazis and Soviets. A lot has been reported of the art plundering, and this focused on books. "The plunder would serve a dual cause, partly depriving the Jewish population of its cultural base and learning, and partly enriching Nazi ideological research." I learned a lot about the cultural working of the Nazi party and the difference between the two fronts- not military but philosophy.

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Jennie748
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This book is fascinating and horrifying, all at once.

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TrishB
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Pickpick

Fantastic. History, libraries, people who love books.
The history is great, as are the library descriptions. The people stories are amazing, but so sad, the chapter on Vilnius is heart-breaking (crying on public transport again).
Lets not forget the awful things people did to people, no matter what name it was done in.

118 likes16 stack adds
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TrishB
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There are some really heart-breaking stories in this book.
People lives in danger on a daily basis and they are worrying where to hide their books 😢

Jaimelire Books are so powerful. I think this is why dictators and oppressive regimes always persecute authors and ban books. 8y
TNbookworm When Books Went to War shows the other side of how important books and reading were during World War Two. A national book drive was organized in America to provide reading material to our military. It is a fascinating look at how books can make such a huge difference in the world. I highly recommend it! 8y
TrishB @Jaimelire absolutely 👍 8y
TrishB @TNbookworm I shall look that one up thanks! 8y
72 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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Floresj
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"Whoever owns the word has the power to not only interpret it, but also to write history."

Notafraidofwords Shivers 8y
4 likes1 comment
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TrishB
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76 likes2 stack adds
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TrishB
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'Pullulating'...…..new word for me 😀 great stuff

ReadingEnvy Love it! 8y
82 likes1 stack add1 comment
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TrishB
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#bookmail #blameitonlitsy was too tempted by @MrBook temptation post on this - just arrived today.

Cinfhen This book looks soooo good!!! 8y
TrishB @Cinfhen it just catapulted itself to the top of the pile! Will be starting next 😀 8y
kyraleseberg This is next on my library holds!!! 8y
See All 8 Comments
Cinfhen I'll be watching for your review😊 8y
shelf-improvement I hope to get to this one soon!! 8y
MrBook 😁👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🙌🏻! My library ordered a copy of this book too after I told our buyer about it 😎👍🏻. 8y
TrishB @MrBook fab at 40 pages in 😀 8y
TheBookHippie On my TBR pile 8y
92 likes4 stack adds8 comments
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sherryvdh
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I think it's fair to say I'm in a #readingslump. I'm usually the type to only have one print book going at a time, but nothing is holding my attention. I'm also way behind on photo challenges. #suchislife #gonnagetmygrooveback

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sherryvdh

"These people were well aware that the theft of their literary culture was a way of robbing them of their history, their humanity, and, in the final analysis, any possibility of remembrance." (p. xi)
Only three pages in and I want to underline everything. Alas, it's a library copy. #libraryreads #nonfiction #history #bookaboutbooks

LeahBergen I recently bought this! 👍🏼 8y
sherryvdh @LeahBergen 😊 I hope you enjoy it! I should just buy it. I'm enthralled already, and I'm not even through the first chapter. 8y
14 likes2 comments
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MrBook
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#TBRtemptation post! While the Nazis burned books, they also stole them to use as propaganda tools. After the war, all those books wound up in public libraries. Using an incredible breadth of research--which includes notes by The Monuments Men--Rydell records & helps in the combing of Berlin's libraries to return the books to their rightful owners--Jews, Communists, liberals, LGBTQs, FreeMasons, Catholics, etc. #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😎

TrishB This sounds fab 😀👍 8y
Laura317 Reading The Monuments Men currently. I'll add this to my pile. 8y
Cinfhen @LeahBergen did u start this yet? I'm curious to hear your opinion! 8y
LeahBergen @Cinfhen Not yet! I've placed it covetously on my "books about books" shelf (why are little collections just so satisfying? ?) 8y
LitsyGoesPostal 😊👍🏻 8y
100 likes29 stack adds5 comments
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LeahBergen
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#BookMail!! This book chronicles the history of the theft of millions of books by the Nazis and the present-day efforts by European organizations to repatriate the looted works. @Cinfhen , you may like this one. #BooksAboutBooks

saresmoore 🙌 We should do a buddy read (in six years or so when we finally get around to it)! 8y
LeahBergen @saresmoore 😂😂 Exactly. Let me know if you start it. 8y
saresmoore Will do. And same to you! 8y
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shawnmooney Count me in! 8y
DGRachel This looks good. Can't wait to hear what you think of it! 8y
Cinfhen Add me too, I'm definitely interested in this one @LeahBergen 😍 8y
118 likes17 stack adds6 comments
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LeahBergen
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Hobbinol 😲Woah! I guess the laws of physics supersede the laws of the land. That's really incredible! (edited) 8y
LeahBergen @Hobbinol Right?! Now, this is the sort of action flick I would line up to see if they made it into a movie! 8y
rubyslippersreads Ok, which #Littens are going to confess? 😂 8y
LeahBergen @rubyslippersreads I just signed up for abseiling lessons. 😉 8y
79 likes1 stack add4 comments