Germany publishes ‘Mein Kampf’ for 1st time since WWII

MUNICH – An annotated edition of “Mein Kampf,” the first version of Adolf Hitler’s notorious manifesto to be published in Germany since the end of World War II, went on sale Friday in an effort to demystify the book and debunk the Nazi leader’s writing.

The Munich-based Institute for Contemporary History worked for several years on the plain-covered volume, officially titled “Hitler, Mein Kampf: A Critical Edition.” It launched the book days after the copyright of the German-language original expired at the end of 2015 – 70 years after Hitler’s death.

Over the years, Bavaria’s state finance ministry had used its copyright on the book to prevent the publication of new editions. The book wasn’t banned in Germany, though, and could be found online, in secondhand bookshops and in libraries.

The new edition is 1,948 pages, roughly double the original, and sets Hitler’s text amid extensive comments by historians that are meant to contradict and deflate his writing.

The new edition “sets out as far as possible Hitler’s sources, which were deeply rooted in the German racist tradition of the late 19th century,” said Andreas Wirsching, the Munich institute’s director. “This edition exposes the false information spread by Hitler, his downright lies and his many half-truths, which aimed at a pure propaganda effect.”

Hitler wrote “Mein Kampf” – or “My Struggle” – after he was jailed following the failed 1923 coup attempt known as the Beer Hall Putsch. The rambling tome set out his ultranationalist, anti-Semitic and anti-communist ideology, which would culminate in the Holocaust and a war of conquest in Europe. It is considered an important source for understanding the history of the Nazi regime.

“The problem with this book is that it isn’t just a historical source – it’s also a symbol,” said Christian Hartmann, who led the team putting together the annotated edition. “And our idea was to lay bare this symbol once and for all.”

German authorities have made clear that they won’t tolerate any new editions without commentary, though none is known to be in the works.