'Mein Kampf' to be republished in Germany 70 years after Hitler's death

[AnemicOak]

There may be no taboo greater in Germany than to republish Adolf Hitler manifesto's, "Mein Kampf." But historians in Munich are about to break it.

The Institute for Contemporary History is reprinting the murderous dictator's book and will sell it in bookstores for 59 euros ($63) a copy, starting in January.

It will not appear in its original form but will be heavily annotated to expose the "lies, half-truths and vicious tirades," the institute says, behind a Nazi vision of hostility that ended in the deaths of tens of millions of people in World War II.

Republication is possible in Germany because the copyright on "Mein Kampf" ("My Struggle") runs out on December 31, 70 years after Hitler's death.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/02/europe...ted/index.html

[Cinisajoy]

So it won't be a reprint but an entirely revised edition.
Personally that sounds like way too much for an old book.

[murg]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

So it won't be a reprint but an entirely revised edition.
Personally that sounds like way too much for an old book.

That's so that every Krethi und Plethi doesn't buy a copy, shave off their hair, and start burning down the place.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

I find that bizarre, frankly. Do the lies, half-truths and vicious tirades (and I wouldn't stop at that, if I were delineating the book's faults) need to be exposed? I almost think that such a treatment gives them substance, if not some credence as well.

[WillAdams]

Sen. Alan Cranston was sued by agents of Adolf Hitler for publishing an illicit translation here in the States --- previously only a heavily-edited version which was far more palatable was available:

https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20...in-kampf.shtml

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by issybird

I find that bizarre, frankly. Do the lies, half-truths and vicious tirades (and I wouldn't stop at that, if I were delineating the book's faults) need to be exposed? I almost think that such a treatment gives them substance, if not some credence as well.

It's a historically important book, however unpleasant its content. An annotated academic version analysing the propaganda in the book certainly strikes me as something worthy of merit.

[GlenBarrington]

Has no one noticed how over priced it is?

[HarryT]

€59 is pretty normal for a specialist academic book of this type.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by GlenBarrington

Has no one noticed how over priced it is?

Is it? I guess I don't know.

It sounds like a pretty academic treatment of the book and such things are generally more expensive than say a straight forward fiction book or biography. My impression (I could be wrong) also is that books are generally more expensive in Germany and have fixed prices.

[Lynx-lynx]

As this book is out of copyright in Aus I checked both Kobo and Amazon to see if it's listed. Amazon yes, Kobo no. (That is not a recommendation, merely mentioning that as a public domain book the 'original' appears to be available here anyway.)

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Lynx-lynx

As this book is out of copyright in Aus I checked both Kobo and Amazon to see if it's listed. Amazon yes, Kobo no.

Are you referring to the original German text? Remember that translations have their own copyright term which is independent of that of the original work.

[Lynx-lynx]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Are you referring to the original German text? Remember that translations have their own copyright term which is independent of that of the original work.

I'm trying not to advertise or recommend the copies on Amazon Aus, but there are three versions, and the book description (Product Info) is in English for each.

One (only) of the books has included "Official English Translation". (And it's 860 pages, whereas the other two are: 480 and 612 pages. Maybe photos can help explain the difference page lengths?)

Each book is less than $2.50

[Doitsu]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

It sounds like a pretty academic treatment of the book and such things are generally more expensive than say a straight forward fiction book or biography.

Apparently it's a two-volume, 2,000-page edition. BTW, the authors also prepared an English press release.

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

My impression (I could be wrong) also is that books are generally more expensive in Germany and have fixed prices.

That's correct. In Germany book prices are fixed by law.

[Pulpmeister]

The Australian public domain edition was translated in, in think, the 1930s by James Murphy, who died in 1946; hence both author and translator having died before 1955, the book is in the public domain in Oz.

It's on Gutenberg Australia. I am told that Vol 1 is all but unreadable to normal human beings, being the tirade and rant part, but Vol 2, which sets out Hitler's plans for the future in some detail, is chilling, because he did what he said he was going to do.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Pulpmeister

It's on Gutenberg Australia. I am told that Vol 1 is all but unreadable to normal human beings, being the tirade and rant part, but Vol 2, which sets out Hitler's plans for the future in some detail, is chilling, because he did what he said he was going to do.

Vol 1 is essentially a (largely-fictitious) autobiography, and Vol 2 is Hitler's vision for reshaping Germany (and the world) through National Socialism, and fighting what he saw as its two main evils: Judaism and Communism. I had to read it many years ago for a course I was doing on 20th-century European politics. I honestly wouldn't waste your time if I were you.