The first reprint of Hitler’s Mein Kampf in Germany since World War II has proved more popular than expected, its publisher said Thursday, with pre-orders almost four times above its first print-run.
The first reprint of Hitler’s Mein Kampf in Germany since World War II has proved more popular than expected, its publisher said Thursday, with pre-orders almost four times above its first print-run.
The Institute of Contem-porary History of Munich (IFZ) had been planning to print only 4,000 copies of its annotated version.
But already on the first day of its sale Friday, “15,000 copies had been pre-ordered” by booksto-res, said Simone Paulm-ichl, IFZ spokeswoman.
Those who have placed orders must “expect some delay” before receiving their copies, she said, adding, however, that she was unable to say how many of the books, which are retailing at $65 each, have actually been sold.
“The bookstores are tell-ing us that there are many historians or scientists” buying the book for educational purposes. But it also appeals to a wider public of people who are interested in politics and history in general” and who want to read what Hitler actually wrote, said Paulmichl.
She said, however, that there is no indication that the strong demand came from neo-Nazis, pointing out that the edition contains 3,500 commentaries criticising Hitler’s argument.
New copies of Mein Kampf hit bookstores in Germany Friday after the copyright of the anti-Semitic manifesto expired.
Bavaria was handed the copyright of the book in 1945, when the Allies gave it control of the main Nazi publishing house following Hitler’s defeat.
For 70 years, it refused to allow the inflammatory tract to be republished out of respect for victims of the Nazis and to prevent incitement of hatred.But Mein Kampf — which means “My Struggle” — fell into the public domain on January 1.
