Even if some parts survived, a lot of what was burnt was scientific research, and that meant that our knowledge in that area has just been irrevocably set back. We know far more now than what was burned, so on the scientific side, it was a setback more than something that was lost forever, but if this didn't happen, I have no doubt that we would know far more than we do now.

For an example of the kind of research that was being done, Dora Richter is the first known person to undergo complete male-to-female gender-affirming surgery while under the care of Magnus Hirschfeld's Institute for Sexual Research

An example of modern research that I feel would have been likely to happen earlier if we hadn't lost so much scientific and medical knowledge is this cool research from 2022, which was the first known count of nerve fibres in the human clitoris. The number found was significantly higher than previous studies, which were based on livestock tissue samples. This is one of my favourite pieces of research in recent years, because it was only possible due to tissue samples donated by trans men undergoing phalloplasty surgery.

That's one of the tragic parts of the Nazi book burning, and also the modern day transphobia we're seeing everywhere. Working to better understand and support trans people improves not just the lives of trans people, but everyone. For my part, as a cis woman, I've found that my own understanding of gender and comfort existing as a woman has been immeasurably improved by being in community with trans folk.