History of Sorts

Some may consider this blog contentious and controversial, but you can’t write about World War II and the Holocaust without writing about Hitler’s first book. The original title was Viereinhalb Jahre (des Kampfes) gegen Lüge, Dummheit und Feigheit, which translates to Four and a Half Years [of Struggle] Against Lies, Stupidity and Cowardice.

Max Amann, head of Franz Eher Verlag and Hitler’s publisher, is believed to have suggested the much shorter Mein Kampf (My Struggle) title.

I believe the original title would have been more suitable for the tedious nature of the book. I have read it, and it basically was a struggle to read it; aside from all the anti-Semitic and racist language, it was just poorly written.

Some facts about Mein Kampf

It outlines Hitler’s ideology and political plans for Germany.

1. Authorship and Publication:

• Adolf Hitler wrote “Mein Kampf” during his imprisonment in 1924 following the failed Beer Hall Putsch.
• The book was published in two volumes. The first volume was published on July 18, 1925 and the second in 1926.

1. Content and Themes:

• The title “Mein Kampf” translates to “My Struggle” in English.
• The book combines elements of autobiography with Hitler’s political ideology.
• It outlines his views on race, anti-Semitism, and the idea of Lebensraum (living space), advocating for the expansion of German territory.
• It also describes his disdain for Marxism and his belief in the superiority of the Aryan race.

1. Impact and Reception:

• “Mein Kampf” was initially not widely read, but its popularity grew as Hitler rose to power.
• By the time Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1933, it had sold about 240,000 copies.
• The book became a best-seller in Nazi Germany, with millions of copies distributed by the end of World War II.
• While Hitler was in power (1933–1945), Mein Kampf came to be available in three common editions. The first, the Volksausgabe or People’s Edition, featured the original cover on the dust jacket and was navy blue underneath with a gold swastika eagle embossed on the cover. The Hochzeitsausgabe, or Wedding Edition, in a slipcase with the seal of the province embossed in gold onto a parchment-like cover was given free to marrying couples. In 1940, the Tornister-Ausgabe, or Knapsack Edition, was released. This edition was a compact, but unabridged, version in a red cover and was released by the post office, available to be sent to loved ones fighting at the front. These three editions combined both volumes into the same book.

1. Legal Status:

• After World War II, the Allies banned the book in Germany.
• The state of Bavaria held the copyright for the book, preventing its publication in Germany until the copyright expired in 2015.
• In 2016, a new critical edition with extensive annotations was published in Germany to provide historical context and prevent misuse of the text.

1. Translations and Global Influence:

• “Mein Kampf” has been translated into multiple languages and has been published in various countries.
• It remains a controversial and inflammatory text, often associated with hate speech and neo-Nazi movements.
• Many countries have regulations or restrictions on the book’s publication and distribution to prevent the spread of its extremist ideology.

1. Historical Significance:

• The book is considered a significant historical document for understanding the rise of Nazism and the ideological foundations of the Holocaust.
• It provides insight into Hitler’s mind and the radical beliefs that fueled his actions and policies.

Finishing with one excerpt from the book. It gives an understanding about fake new, mis/disinformation, or in short propaganda. Alas not much has changed.

“All propaganda must be so popular and on such an intellectual level, that even the most stupid of those toward whom it is directed will understand it. People can be made to perceive paradise as hell, and the other way round, to consider the most wretched sort of life as paradise.”

Sources

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mein-kampf-is-published

https://www.thetelegraph.com/insider/article/Twice-a-wedding-gift-Mein-Kampf-makes-it-to-15616198.php

https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/mein-kampf

https://www.annefrank.org/en/timeline/6/adolf-hitler-publishes-mein-kampf/