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Hitler’s Mein Kampf Will Be Reprinted in Germany for the First Time Since World War II

2 minute read
By Helen Regan

Reprints of Adolf Hitler’s autobiography Mein Kampf will be hitting bookstores across Germany once more — the first time since the Nazi leader’s death.

A ban on reprinting the Nazi manifesto in the country has been in place since the end of World War II. The state of Bavaria has held the German copyright ever since but it expires in December, reports the Washington Post.

The new edition, which is being produced and published by the taxpayer-funded Institute of Contemporary History, will be a heavily annotated 2,000-page volume that features mostly criticism and analysis.

The institute says Mein Kampf (My Struggle) is an important historical and educational tool.

But opponents, including many Holocaust survivors, are outraged with the reissue, with many seeing it as giving a fresh voice to a ruthless and deranged dictator who was responsible for the deaths of more than 11 million people.

“This book is most evil; it is the worst anti-Semitic pamphlet and a guidebook for the Holocaust,” said Charlotte Knobloch, head of the Jewish community in Munich.

Though republication of Mein Kampf has been banned in Germany, the book is widely available online and in many other countries including the U.S. and Canada.

The first print run is due out early next year.

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Color Photos of Hitler Among the Crowds

Adolf Hitler greets the cheering throng at a rally in 1937.
Adolf Hitler greets the cheering throng at a rally in 1937.Hugo Jaeger—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Nazi Party Congress in Nuremberg, Germany, 1937.
Nazi Party Congress in Nuremberg, Germany, 1937.Hugo Jaeger—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Austrians cheer Adolf Hitler during his 1938 campaign (before the Anschluss) to unite Austria and Germany.
Austrians cheer Adolf Hitler during his 1938 campaign (before the Anschluss) to unite Austria and Germany.Hugo Jaeger—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Austrians cheer Adolf Hitler during his 1938 campaign (before the Anschluss) to unite Austria and Germany.
Austrians cheer Adolf Hitler during his 1938 campaign (before the Anschluss) to unite Austria and Germany.Hugo Jaeger—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Crowds greet a saluting Adolf Hitler at a cornerstone ceremony at a Volkswagen factory, 1938.
Crowds greet a saluting Adolf Hitler at a cornerstone ceremony at a Volkswagen factory, 1938.Hugo Jaeger—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Crowds greet a saluting Adolf Hitler at a cornerstone ceremony at a Volkswagen factory, 1938.
Crowds greet a saluting Adolf Hitler at a cornerstone ceremony at a Volkswagen factory, 1938.Hugo Jaeger—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Crowds at a cornerstone ceremony at a Volkswagen factory, 1938.
Crowds at a cornerstone ceremony at a Volkswagen factory, 1938.Hugo Jaeger—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Torchlight rally honoring Adolf Hitler's 50th birthday, 1939.
Torchlight rally honoring Adolf Hitler's 50th birthday, 1939.Hugo Jaeger—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Hundreds of thousands gather at a harvest festival and Nazi Party rally in Germany, 1937.
Hundreds of thousands gather at a harvest festival and Nazi Party rally in Germany, 1937.Hugo Jaeger—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Guests of honor at a military demonstration for Hitler's 50th birthday celebration in Berlin.
Guests of honor at a military demonstration for Hitler's 50th birthday celebration in Berlin.Hugo Jaeger—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
A crowd cheers in Florence, Italy, during Hitler's state visit in 1938.
A crowd cheers in Florence, Italy, during Hitler's state visit in 1938.Hugo Jaeger—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Italian fascists during Adolf Hitler's 1938 state visit.
Italian fascists during Adolf Hitler's 1938 state visit.Hugo Jaeger—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
A crowd in Munich, Germany, around the time of the 1938 Munich Conference.
A crowd in Munich, Germany, around the time of the 1938 Munich Conference.Hugo Jaeger—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Paying tribute to Hitler during celebrations for his 50th birthday, Berlin, 1939.
Paying tribute to Hitler during celebrations for his 50th birthday, Berlin, 1939.Hugo Jaeger—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

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Write to Helen Regan at helen.regan@timeasia.com