Hitler's 'Mein Kampf' coming back to German shops

[Thomas O'Malley]

Hitler's 'Mein Kampf' coming back to German shops

BERLIN | Mon Jan 16, 2012 10:23pm IST



BERLIN (Reuters) - Adolf Hitler's "Mein Kampf", banned from German bookstores, will soon be available from newspaper kiosks after a British publisher said he would print excerpts from the text in Germany.

But the state of Bavaria, which owns the copyrights to the Nazi vision of Aryan racial supremacy, said it was considering legal steps to block publication.

Reprinting the Nazi dictator's autobiography, which outlines his ambitions to seize vast areas of land in eastern Europe to provide living space for the so-called master race, is outlawed in Germany except for academic study.

The first of three 16-page extracts from the book, accompanied by a critical commentary, will be published later this month with a print run of 100,000 each, Peter McGee, head of London-based publishing firm Albertas Ltd told Reuters.

"It is a sensitive subject in Germany but the incredible thing is most Germans don't have access to 'Mein Kampf' because it has this taboo, this 'black magic' surrounding it," he said.

"We want 'Mein Kampf' to be accessible so people can see it for what it is, and then discard it. Once exposed, it can be consigned to the dustbin of literature," he said.

The excerpts will be distributed as a supplement to the company's existing weekly publication, a controversial series called "Zeitungszeugen", or "Newspaper Witnesses", which reprints pages of Nazi newspapers from the 1920s and 1930s, along with a commentary.

The latest edition of the series, which was released last week, has so far sold 250,000 copies, according to McGee.

But the Bavarian state finance ministry in southern Germany, which holds the copyrights, said on Monday the magazine supplement would breach copyright law.

"The Bavarian finance ministry is currently considering legal steps against this publication," a spokesman for the ministry said in a statement.

However, McGee defended the supplement and said his company was acting completely within the laws of copyright.

The distribution of Nazi ideology for non-educational purposes has been forbidden in Germany since the end of World War Two. Swastikas and the stiff-armed Nazi salute are also outlawed.

What do you think? Should books be forbidden, or should we live in an open and free world where all books could be bought, no matter who wrote them and which ideas are promoted in there?
Personally, I believe it's a good thing "Mein Kampf" finally comes back to the stores. I've always been against banning books, music, ideas (no matter how sick they might be towards some people).
I know it's a sensitive subject, but then again, in the end we are all adults, and we should be able to discuss things like these.

 

[Briana Lee]

What do you think? Should books be forbidden, or should we live in an open and free world where all books could be bought, no matter who wrote them and which ideas are promoted in there?
Personally, I believe it's a good thing "Mein Kampf" finally comes back to the stores. I've always been against banning books, music, ideas (no matter how sick they might be towards some people).
I know it's a sensitive subject, but then again, in the end we are all adults, and we should be able to discuss things like these.

I agree in principle but there should be certain restrictions. Like keeping it out of the reach of children. Their susceptible minds should not be subjected to this sort of thing.

 

[Thomas O'Malley]

I agree in principle but there should be certain restrictions. Like keeping it out of the reach of children. Their susceptible minds should not be subjected to this sort of thing.

Why? Don't you think children can't make up their own mind? Or do you think a book can change their look on the world? Or is that the parental responsablily? Actually, I don't mind children seeing or reading books, they can only learn from it and learn to make up their own mind.

 

[xfire]

It's been readily available here for years. Disgusting subject matter written by a disgusting individual, but, I would rather it be available than not. First Amendment.

 

[Briana Lee]

Why? Don't you think children can't make up their own mind? Or do you think a book can change their look on the world? Or is that the parental responsablily? Actually, I don't mind children seeing or reading books, they can only learn from it and learn to make up their own mind.

I'm not says children shouldn't read books but let's be honest this is no ordinary book. I'm just saying that I don't think children should be reading books of this type before a certain age. A book is a powerful thing and can easily change your outlook on life.

 

[Thomas O'Malley]

It's been readily available here for years. Disgusting subject matter written by a disgusting individual, but, I would rather it be available than not. First Amendment.

I agree with you, but we don't know such a thing as the First Amendment in Europe. That's a part of the power of the US (however, if you see how they ban parts of the net nowadays, but that's another story). In Europe the E.U. or a nation itself can ban books, music, religion.... We don't know freedom of speach. For example, I live in a kingdom (Belgium) that I do not recognize, but in public offially I can't claim I'm against my country, the way it works, and most certainly not that I'm against the King or the royal family.
So you should look at it from another angle, being an American...

 

[Terry Sleeper]

There's room in the world for even the most pig-headed author - alive or dead - to sell a shitty tract.

But be warned:
"hominem unius libri timeo" ("Beware of the man of one book").

 

[Henrik Larsson]

It's a very controversial subject matter. He was a disgusting man but if it was in shops I'm sure people would buy it. If you don't want to read it then you don't have to but i don't really see a reason why it shuldn't be in book stores. I'm sure there have been more controversial books in the past.

Also have i said I'm pretty MWI(Mad Wi'/with it)/drunk right now. IN the kind of drunk stage but not to drunk if you know what I mean. I can feel it but not so much that i can't talk to people or purchase more drinks

 

[Thomas O'Malley]

I'm not says children shouldn't read books but let's be honest this is no ordinary book. I'm just saying that I don't think children should be reading books of this type before a certain age. A book is a powerful thing and can easily change your outlook on life.

I could say the same thing about Freuds or Aristotoles books then. An eight year old one shouldn't read Freud either, but still these books are available, and I read it for instance at the age of 12 (too early as well in my opinion as an adult, but it's not forbidden). Why should 'My Kampf' be a forbidden book then before a certain age?

 

[squallumz]

its a book. if you dont want to read it, dont read it. its not like tv where it just comes on all up in your face. you have to actually work and sit and read the thing. sales will speak for itself. if no one wants it, it will sit and rot. if people do want it, it will sell.

and i bet you it will.

i had no idea it was banned. seems kinda weird that it was.

 

[Thomas O'Malley]

It's a very controversial subject matter. He was a disgusting man but if it was in shops I'm sure people would buy it. If you don't want to read it then you don't have to but i don't really see a reason why it shuldn't be in book stores. I'm sure there have been more controversial books in the past.

Also have i said I'm pretty MWI(Mad Wi'/with it)/drunk right now.

I know it's controversial bigman, that's why I started the thread...

True, and there is more. Now "My Kampf" has been banned for years in the book stores. People now certainly want to read it. And why not? Maybe reading it, makes people understand why Hitler did what he did. Not that I want to applaud what he did, but it might open some eyes, and might make people understand the other side of the story, and maybe it might even make people with right wing ideas understand what's so wrong about being too right wing sided...

 

[Ulysses31]

Allow people to buy it and let them read for themselves what a pile of crap it is, sometimes when you keep things from people they desire it more. With the internet nowadays and all this file sharing it's easy to get hold off anyway, however I'd recommend it be kept under the counter and only taken out when someone requests to buy it as seeing it out in the open might cause upset amongst many people. Wonder if the ban on Swastika's will also be lifted?

 

[DR. B]

Why? Don't you think children can't make up their own mind? Or do you think a book can change their look on the world? Or is that the parental responsablily? Actually, I don't mind children seeing or reading books, they can only learn from it and learn to make up their own mind.

What about The Satanic Bible? Are you ok with children reading that? Or how about the Black Book of Satan? Should children figure out if they are into this kind of literature? Maybe read a passage and see if they like sacrificing animals, then on to humans.

I'm all for anybody reading anything someone wrote. But I agree with Brianna, some things children shouldn't be allowed to read.

 

[Hondarobot]

No books should be banned. That being said, if a book store carried works primarily like "Mein Kampf", I'd keep a close eye on the people operating and shopping at that store.

 

[Terry Sleeper]

No books should be banned. That being said, if a book store carried works primarily like "Mein Kampf", I'd keep a close eye on the people operating and shopping at that store.

The Nazis didn't ban books - they burned them!

 

[Henrik Larsson]

I don't think it makes you a bad person to read the book. If you read it for sadistic purposes then sure. But what If you are intrested in the Nazi's through purely historical purposes or you want to know why Hitler was such an evil man.

I'm not saying I would buy it myself, but not everyone that buys it will be a 'Nazi' or a bad person

 

[squallumz]

I'm not saying I would buy it myself, but not everyone that buys it will be a 'Nazi'

oh definitely not! honestly, i wonder how it reads myself and im anything but nazi.

 

[Thomas O'Malley]

What about The Satanic Bible? Are you ok with children reading that? Or how about the Black Book of Satan? Should children figure out if they are into this kind of literature? Maybe read a passage and see if they like sacrificing animals, then on to humans.

I'm all for anybody reading anything someone wrote. But I agree with Brianna, some things children shouldn't be allowed to read.

I think you misunderstood me. I never said I disagreed with Briana (one 'n' Dr.B ), I said there should be more books not availble for kids. Kids should be protected for extremes in every way. At the other hand, if you look how they educate children nowadays in Belgian schools about WWII, it raises questions for me. They only teach the 'good' (read the allied parties) and the 'bad' (read the Germans). And I bet, you have enough common sense to know that the German citizens didn't really had a choice in WWII. They had a family to feed as well, as so had a lot a Europeans at that time. Some of them decided to go and work for the Germans to survive, to feed their family and have advantages.
Others remained, but after the war, and the horror that went through Europe (and more specific, Germany, Belgium and Holland) will never be taught in schools. Never will our children be taught the horror when the Sovjets won over the German army in Russia and Poland, and what they did... Don't you think our children hold the right, to know both sides of that horrible war?
I do... so my 10 year old daughter was taught is school what teachers thought was needed to be taught, I told her the rest. And the main raison therefore was that my wifes grandmother is still alive. Her beloved husband dies after the war, but worked as truck driver in beer, also for the German soldiers. And so my wife's grandfather and grandmother felt what it was like after the war in Europe (literally and figuratively), and I honestly believe, my daughter has the right to know that part of the story as well.
And so back to the book: I also honestly believe she holds the right to know what kind of man Hitler was and what kind of ideas he had. And so I'm planning to give her the book by the ages of 12-14. Perhaps she doesn't even agree with me Hitler was a horrible creature, but still then I do believe she holds the right on her own opinion.

 

[Thomas O'Malley]

The Nazis didn't ban books - they burned them!

Exactly, and that shows how wrong it is, they hide things from people. So actually Europe is doing exactly the same as what they blame the Nazi's for.

 

[Sam Fisher]

"Wherever they burn books, in the end will also burn human beings." - Heinrich Heine

That quote is well known to Theologians. It was first said many many years ago. Long before the Third Reich came into power, but it was repeated during Hitler's rise to power by many scholars at the time. And, it ultimately came true - The Nazi's goal to rid the world of Jews.

I first read it this past summer when I was reading: Bonhoeffer : Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy