Hitler's manifesto 'Mein Kampf' becomes bestseller in Germany

[Rolfe]

Hitler's manifesto 'Mein Kampf' becomes bestseller in Germany

A new edition of Adolf Hitler's antisemitic manifesto Mein Kampf has once again become a bestseller in German bookstores, the BBC reported Tuesday.

Over 85,000 copies have been sold since its re-release last year, with publisher Andreas Wirsching telling the the British broadcaster that "the figures have overwhelmed us."

The new copies, set for a sixth print run, include critical notes by scholars. The book also features a plain white cover due to German laws banning Nazi-era symbols such as the swastika.

Meanwhile, Jewish groups in Germany have denounced the inflammatory book, which sold 4,000 copies during its first print run at the beginning of 2016.

http://m.jpost.com/#article=6017NzczQzY0Mzg1RjFBNTlDMkNBMTcyOTUyOEE4ODBCREU=

I think that, considering Germany's problems at this moment, this latest release is not a good idea.

 

[Squire Robertsson]

The now expired (last year) copyright, was held by the Bavarian Ministry of Finance. They didn't allow the book to be published in Germany. This annotated edition has been in the works for the last couple of years.

 

[Rob_BW]

What were the laws regarding publishing Mein Kampf?

Any hope that the 85K copies are going to people with a more "scholarly" interest, and not to neo-nazis? I would imagine the neo-nazis would already have their copies from black market sources.

 

[Rolfe]

Any hope that the 85K copies are going to people with a more "scholarly" interest, and not to neo-nazis?

I would not bet on it. With Germany's mood about Merkel's refugee policy, I can easily see it becoming recruitment literature of a type.

 

[Squire Robertsson]

They varied from country to country. In Germany, it was a matter of copyright law. The Bavarian Ministry of Finance held the copyright. It didn't allow the publication of the book in Germany. Last year, the MoF's copyright expired.

N.b. The Austrian corporal was a resident of Bavaria at the time of his death. For many various and sundry good reasons, the post-war West German government held he died without a will. So, his estate went to the State of Bavaria.

What were the laws regarding publishing Mein Kampf?