Deleting the Right: A Digital Book-Burning in Berlin

The European Conservative ^ | 21 Nov, 2025 | Lauren Smith

[MtnClimber]

In Berlin’s Charlottenburg district, there is an unusual library. The Library of Conservatism (Bibliothek des Konservatismus or BdK) was founded in 2012, based on Caspar von Schrenck-Notzing’s extensive private collection of right-wing and libertarian non-fiction books. Today, it has a catalogue of roughly 35,000 titles from German and European writers—including early prints from authors such as Roger Scruton, Edmund Burke, Ernst Jünger, and Carl Schmitt.

Soon, though, none of these titles will be accessible to many German academics and researchers. Without any explanation, the BdK is being thrown out of the Gemeinsamer Bibliotheksverbund (GBV), one of the largest library networks in the country. The library will be made functionally invisible. Library director Wolfgang Fenske, speaking to Junge Freiheit, described this as “an existential threat,” explaining that the BdK cannot store data and create its own searchable catalogue:

Above a certain size, virtually all academic libraries are affiliated with a library network. This network maintains a kind of master data record for each book title. Every library that holds a book in the relevant edition attaches its local data record—which includes, among other things, the book’s call number—to this master data record of the library network.

Fenske stressed that, until the library was handed the termination notice this summer, relations with the GBV were perfectly cordial. He believes, however, that this sudden decision to sever ties with the BdK could be the decision of the GBV’s new director, Regine Stein, who was appointed last October. Given the BdK’s right-wing stance, it is not unreasonable to suspect that a political motive was at play here.

The BdK is not just a library, but also an integral part of Germany’s conservative scene. It hosts talks and events, has its own podcast, and conducts research. And, unlike many left-wing organisations

[MtnClimber]

A political motive?

[AndyJackson]

So Germany rises from the ashes to become yet again the greatest threat to Western civilization.

[ClearCase_guy]

Here are some Germans are taking extreme steps to avoid Fascism.

[Leaning Right]

> So Germany rises from the ashes to become yet again the greatest threat to Western civilization. <

It’s not just Germany, but leftist fascism in general.

I can see a story just like this happening in the UK, on college campuses here in the US, etc.

Different viewpoints are no longer tolerated by the left. Heck, put up a MAGA info table on a US campus today, and the chances are good you’ll be assaulted.

[SaveFerris]

(the book’s call number)

The Dewey Decimal System ...

What a scam that was! - Cosmo Kramer

[Salman]

The assumption is Fascism is so seductive anyone who sees it will want it.

[Texas Fossil]

“It’s not just Germany, but leftist fascism in general.”

Bump!

Fascism has always be Leftist, and based on LIES (And EVIL)!

They try to hide saying it is not so, but it is True.

[imabadboy99]

All classic books should be scanned and uploaded to the internet so the commie globalist scum can’t erase them.

[AndyJackson]

That’s not how you spell assassinated.

[mairdie]

I do my part:

Electricity, or Ethereal Fire, Considered
https://henrylivingston.com/theman/atlocustgrove/medical/electricity/cover.htm

Psalms and Hymns, Rev Dr John Henry Livingston
https://henrylivingston.com/bios/jhl/index-psalms.htm

Memoirs, Rev Dr John Henry Livingston
https://henrylivingston.com/bios/jhl/index.htm

Old Soldiers’ Drums, TenEyck Van Deusen (in Harvard Special Collection)
https://www.iment.com/maida/family/father/oldsoldiersdrums/frontcover.htm

[goodnesswins]

Wow

[libertylover]

Without any explanation, the BdK is being thrown out of the Gemeinsamer Bibliotheksverbund (GBV),

A political motive?

Little doubt.

[Menes]

True. The rot has set in all over the Western world.
However, there is resistance forming against this blatant attempt to censor the freedom of scholarship.

And you, Mr. Jackson, are obviously too blind to see, preferring to believe in outdated clichés. Regrettably so.

[Menes]

That is wonderful, Sir😀

And I am completely on your side: digitalize the lot. Since copyright expires after seventy years, this should be no problem.

Let the works of ancient Wisdom become the modern Samizdat. Yes please!

[AndyJackson]

So, I point out the rot in Germany and the reversion to propaganda and book burning, which is redolent of a Germany 2 generations ago, and you accuse me of being blind to the rot in the rest of the Western world - you, while accusing me of accusing the Germans of returning to the stereotype that they should be running away as fast as they can.

ANTIFA brownshirtism that we are witnessing world wide sure got a major leg up that country some 80 year ago. They did it, not me.

[mairdie]

I collect paper, so I like to spread out what I find. Like the newspaper account of Alexander Hamilton’s duel with Aaron Burr, his death and subsequent funeral. This one belongs to a cousin.

https://henrylivingston.com/bios/alexanderhamiltonbalance.htm

https://henrylivingston.com/bios/alexanderhamiltonbalance2.htm

I bought a number of old sermons of Rev Dr John Henry Livingston, and put those up as well. These are all mine.

Glory of the Redeemer
https://henrylivingston.com/bios/jhl/sermon-1799-apr23-p01.htm

Everlasting Gospel
https://henrylivingston.com/bios/jhl/sermon-1804-apr3-p01.htm

Incestuous Marriage
https://henrylivingston.com/bios/jhl/index-marriage.htm

Funeral Meditations
https://henrylivingston.com/bios/jhl/index-funeral.htm

Eulogy
https://henrylivingston.com/bios/jhl/eulogy-jhl-p01.htm

Then there’s an art book of my grandmother’s from the days of her classes at the Art Institute that was the only copy when I put it up. Seems to be printed on disintegrating tissue paper. It was an experiment I was doing on finding the best way to present art, so uses different cuts through the material:

https://iment.com/maida/family/mother/vicars/index.htm

When I find family papers, I try to get those up, too:

Great grandfather’s memories of running the Lincoln assassination investigation was in the public library of the town where he had his summer home.

https://iment.com/maida/familytree/burnett/lincoln.htm

7th ggfather’s paper on developing an award winning wine as the first in America:

https://iment.com/maida/familytree/antill/edwardgrapesarticle.htm

Various articles remembering Washington’s inauguration:

https://iment.com/maida/familytree/henry/history/inauguration/index.htm

********

And I collect poetry. I went to the Museum of the City of New York and filmed and transcribed a handwritten book of poetry of Clement Moore back when I was collecting data for the statistical research into the authorship. That was the ONLY publication of those poems. I’d be surprised if it hasn’t spread out by now.

https://www.henrylivingston.com/xmas/livingstonmoore/mooreindex.htm

At the time I put up the poetry from Moore’s book Poems from 1844, there was no copy available in public collections or on the Internet. That’s changed, too.

***

And I put collections into books on Amazon. I spent years in microfilm collecting the newspaper poetry of Henry Livingston, Jr. and most of his work, minus the larger collection of Carrier Addresses, appears in my big book on Henry.

Henry Livingston, Jr.: The Christmas Poet You Always Loved
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NAGIDZL/ref=sr_1_11

And the copyright issue is what’s holding up my collection of the newspaper articles and short stories of my grandfather, so I’ve put them in a website until I release the book. I think it’s just about out of copyright now for next year.

https://www.iment.com/maida/family/father/jackbell/Jack-Bell-Prospector-and-Naturalist-39.htm

His wife’s book is in the Brown University Special Collection but I found another of Grandmother’s books that I’m putting out as an illustrated comic book once I finish her biography.

Hot Shots
https://www.iment.com/maida/family/father/catharineburnett/hotshots.htm

Best,
Mary

[Menes]

Thank you very much, Ma‘am, for posting all those links.

And I would like to express my heartfelt apologies for mistakenly having addressed you as „Sir“ 🙁

[Menes]

Still, though I wish to apologise again, I don’t know what the EU has to do with Nazism.

Yes, both were antidemocratic. Both are totalitarian. Still, the EU is much closer to a neo-Communist caricature of the Soviet Union. Its constitution mirrors that of the latter.

And believe me, I know quite a lot about Nazism and its consequences. I lost family members to the Nazi terror, just for the record, so being lumped in with those criminals is a little galling to yours truly.

[mairdie]

Never having had the slightest desire to ever be a male, much as I love the sex, I thank you for the correction. Being female is SUCH fun!