Institute for Contemporary History Vows to Publish ‘Mein Kampf’ Despite Ban
Image by Getty Images
The Institute for Contemporary History vowed to press ahead with the publication of an annotated version of “Mein Kampf” despite a ban by the Bavarian state.
In a statement, the institute said it would not abandon the project, which it considers an “important contribution toward historical-political education” and the book’s “demystification.”
The copyright on “Mein Kampf,” the manifesto by Adolf Hitler published in the 1920s, will expire in 2015. The book is currently banned in Germany, but the Bavarian Finance Ministry, which owns the copyright, last year announced it would allow the publication of an edition annotated by the institute.
The state announced Tuesday it will take legal measures to stop the publication. Charlotte Knobloch, the former head of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, praised the state’s decision.
Did you know that only 2% of Forward readers donate to support our nonprofit newsroom? That 2% make it possible for millions to read the Forward without a paywall or subscription — removing any barriers to the full and fair Jewish story.
But while the Forward is free to read, it isn’t free to produce. Big stories — like deep dives into the antisemitism data, political scoops or reporting trips to college campuses — take months of research and fact-checking. All while we keep you informed of what you need to know each day.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Forward Publisher & CEO
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
