Mein Kampf

Mein Kampf
Dust jacket of 1926–1928 edition
AuthorAdolf Hitler
CountryGerman Reich
LanguageGerman
SubjectAutobiography
Political manifesto
Political philosophy
PublisherFranz Eher Nachfolger GmbH
Publication date
18 July 1925
Published in English
13 October 1933 (abridged)
1939 (full)
Media typePrint
(hardcover and Paperback)
Pages720
ISBN978-0395951057 (1998 trans. by Ralph Manheim)
943.086092
LC ClassDD247.H5
Followed byZweites Buch 

Mein Kampf (German: [maɪn ˈkampf]; lit.'My Struggle') is a 1925 autobiographical manifesto by Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler. The work describes the process by which Hitler became antisemitic and outlines his political ideology and future plans for Germany. Volume 1 of Mein Kampf was published in 1925 and Volume 2 in 1926.[1] The book was edited first by Emil Maurice, then by Hitler's deputy Rudolf Hess.[2][3]

Hitler began Mein Kampf while imprisoned following his failed coup in Munich in November 1923 and a trial in February 1924 for high treason, in which he received a sentence of five years. Although he received many visitors initially, he soon devoted himself entirely to the book. As he continued, he realized that it would have to be a two-volume work, with the first volume scheduled for release in early 1925. The governor of Landsberg noted at the time that "he [Hitler] hopes the book will run into many editions, thus enabling him to fulfill his financial obligations and to defray the expenses incurred at the time of his trial."[4][5] After slow initial sales, the book became a bestseller in Germany following Hitler's rise to power in 1933.[6]

After Hitler's death, copyright of Mein Kampf passed to the state government of Bavaria, which refused to allow any copying or printing of the book in Germany. In 2016, following the expiry of the copyright held by the Bavarian state government, Mein Kampf was republished in Germany for the first time since 1945, which prompted public debate and divided reactions from Jewish groups. A team of scholars from the Institute of Contemporary History in Munich published a German language two-volume almost 2,000-page edition annotated with about 3,500 notes. This was followed in 2021 by a 1,000-page French edition based on the German annotated version, with about twice as much commentary as text.[7]

  1. ^ Mein Kampf ("My Struggle"), Adolf Hitler (originally 1925–1926), Reissue edition (15 September 1998), Publisher: Mariner Books, Language: English, paperback, 720 pages, ISBN 978-1495333347
  2. ^ Shirer 1960, p. 85.
  3. ^ Robert G.L. Waite, The Psychopathic God: Adolf Hitler, Basic Books, 1977, pp. 237–243
  4. ^ Heinz, Heinz (1934). Germany's Hitler. Hurst & Blackett. p. 191.
  5. ^ Payne, Robert (1973). The Life and Death of Adolf Hitler. Popular Library. p. 203.
  6. ^ Shirer 1960, pp. 80–81.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference historicizing was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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