HITLER'S 'MEIN KAMPF' ON SALE AGAIN IN GERMANY AFTER 70 YEAR BAN

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2016/01/hitler-manifesto-mein-kampf-bookstores-160106122555653.html

Reading his badly written, rambling theories, based on those of Houston Stewart Chamberlain, is rather like reading some of the 'theories' propounded by so-called pundits!   It seems this new release is annotated with comments trashing Hitler's idiotic belief that the Teutonic race was superior to all others.    Chamberlain was British born, took German nationality in 1916, and was a rabid anti-semite and son-in-law of Richard Wagner, the composer.    LL

I recall reading a translation many years ago as part of a history course, LL, and thinking it was boring rubbish. I remember it as being like the wilder imaginings of some of the David Icke lot.

I also recall reading somewhere that people (like me) who don't speak a word of German watch films of Hitler and just see a raving lunatic waving his arms around. Which makes the cult of Hitler baffling.

bb1 wrote:I also recall reading somewhere that people (like me) who don't speak a word of German watch films of Hitler and just see a raving lunatic waving his arms around. Which makes the cult of Hitler baffling.

He wasn't a lunatic, believe me.  If you don't know the language then, yes, the whole thing was extremely strange.   My grandpa, who was associated with theaters and actors all his life, rated Hitler as a connsumate actor, able to manipulate a crowd in the same way as an actor like Olivier could.   Another thing is that Germans love their language spoken by an Austrian and that is what Hitler did, he started off mildly in his Branau accent, then as he picked up steam, he would then rant and rave.   Did you know he took German nationality in 1932 so as to be able to become Chancellor?   If it hadn't been Hitler it would have been someone else, he was just there at the 'right' time and relied on the anti-semite feeling running through the country after the WW1 defeat and humiliation.   Yes, he was evil, but he was no lunatic, he was extremely clever, manipulative and with no conscience.   LL

For sure he was no military genius. If someone less insane had been in charge - a Speer or a Canaris - it is entirely possible that the Nazis would not have been overthrown, as they would not have done so many insane things - like invading Russia - or so many sadistic things.

I confess, I don't actually understand why some are scared of Mien Kampf - it's scarcely a work of literary genius.

Hitler was the topic of conversation last night with friends.  It was agreed that he was a very clever manipulative man to have done what he did.  

His is a very fascinating story.

I think putting in annotations is not a good idea. It should have been left as is. IMO.

lily wrote:Hitler was the topic of conversation last night with friends.  It was agreed that he was a very clever manipulative man to have done what he did.  

His is a very fascinating story.

I think putting in annotations is not a good idea.  It should have been left as is.  IMO.

I don't know whether it's good or bad.  Lily, did you ever read about his family, his father and mother?   They were cousins in a very inbred family.   I think that must have had some influence.   ASlso Alois was a bully, a had man while Klara was described as gentle and kind.    LL

I don't actually know. But I can't put a level of intelligence on what Hitler chose to do. But he was not alone. I only know that they lost whatever desire they had for German supremacy.
It was a close run thing, so let's not kid ourselves on that.

Well, one of those persons last night was related to intelligence work. He is the most anti conspiracy theorist you could think of. The FBI had declassified extensive intelligence papers relating to the Nazis. The first startling find was DNA testing of the remains were not of male origin.

lily wrote:Well, one of those persons last night was related to intelligence work.  He is the most anti conspiracy theorist you could think of.  The FBI had declassified extensive intelligence papers relating to the Nazis.   The first startling find was DNA testing of the remains were not of male origin.  

Whose DNA? LL

The purported Hitler......

lily wrote:The purported Hitler......

Ah, so the Soviets handed over DNA from the cremated remains they removed from the Chancellary Gardens to the FBI?   I doubt it.   LL

Lamplighter wrote:

lily wrote:The purported Hitler......

Ah, so the Soviets handed over DNA from the cremated remains they removed from the Chancellary Gardens to the FBI?   i doubt it.   LL

Don't know. Don't care. It was over.

I only know that they lost whatever desire they had for German supremacy.

I am none too sure that they have, Sabot, given the current mess in Europe is because the German Chancellor took it upon herself to decide she knew what is best for the rest of Europe.

bb1 wrote: I only know that they lost whatever desire they had for German supremacy.

I am none too sure that they have, Sabot, given the current mess in Europe is because the German Chancellor took it upon herself to decide she knew what is best for the rest of Europe.

Never judge a people by things in the mists of time. I know it is still the in thing to lambast the Germans for sins in the past, but which country is pure in heart and has no skeletons in their history? LL

It's nothing to do with Hitler, LL. Germany, in its assorted forms, has spent the last 150 years attacking its neighbours. Now we have this mess, because of Germany - when it's only a generation since the country was reunified.

Maybe it shouldn't have been reunified? Indeed, maybe the history of Europe for the last century and a half would have been a lot less bloody if 'Germany' had stayed a collection of principalities, arch-dukedoms, etc.

Yes, they had obtained burnt out remains which were kept all these years and then did testing on them.

The US had been gathering intelligence on the Nazis for years, like other countries.  They helped Nazis enter the US because some were useful.  They helped with rockets and nukes and all sorts of advanced technology.  

So all those declassified documents were very worthwhile and contained quite the trove of interesting information.  The FBI considered that what they were doing was to form the Fourth Reich from outside Germany.  

bb1 wrote: I only know that they lost whatever desire they had for German supremacy.

I am none too sure that they have, Sabot, given the current mess in Europe is because the German Chancellor took it upon herself to decide she knew what is best for the rest of Europe.

I will never trust another German as long as I live, Bonny. Sad to say. And I have met a few since, who never gave me pause to think otherwise. They are still arrogant, and dismissive of the rest of us. Talk to them if you have the time or patience. I just got cross on the last occasion that I tried, and then sounded almost as bad as they are. I am still ashamed of myself for being coerced.

But I don't like being racially prejudiced. I don't want to think that some people are beyond the pale. Or that I am better than they are.

I'm stopping my participation in this discussion, save to say I worked in Germany as a gastarbeiter for two years and had nothing but kindness from the many people I came in conact with.   I own property in Berlin and one of my childrens' godfathers is a German.   I do not blame the present Germans for the slaughter of my relatives, they were not born at the time and the sins of the fathers should never be dumped on the children.   LL

Many Germans are so sad about their country's past and who cannot stand what Merkel has and is doing.  They are furious what is happening to their country.

Both in the UAE and here, there are lots of Germans.  I really like them to be honest.  You know where you stand with them and they are so logical and intelligent.

ETA: Having just read your post, LL, please don't stop your discussion.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/08/copies-of-hitlers-mein-kampf-go-on-sale-in-germany-for-first-time-in-70-years

The two-volume political treatise, an infamous rant written between 1924 and 1926 and which posits a global Jewish conspiracy, is regarded as one of the Nazis’ main propaganda tools. It has been re-issued as a 2,000-page annotated version after its 70-year copyright expired.

Yes, but it didn't sell when there was a free, open market. Hitler only started coining in royalties when it became compulsory to read the damned thing, and treat it like great literature - or else.