Brazilian Jews Celebrate Ban on Publishing of Unannotated ‘Mein Kampf’
Mein Kampf Image by Getty Images
A Brazilian publisher has decided to cancel the release of a new printing of “Mein Kampf” after strong pressure from the Jewish community and scholars.
Editing company Edipro reportedly decided on Thursday to call off a first printing run of 1,000 copies, saying it was an old translation to Portuguese from the 1930s, with no commentary. The release was slated for late January.
Vice-president of the Brazilian Israelite Confederation and also president of the Rio de Janeiro Jewish Federation, Paulo Maltz, announced that legal procedures are under discussion to prevent national distribution of the book authored by Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.
“The book is Nazi propaganda and, under Brazilian law selling it is a non-bailable crime,” added Osias Wurman, Israel honorary consul in Rio.
However, Wurman joined some major interested publishers in Brazil in giving a thumbs up to an annotated edition, saying: “People need to understand what happened.”
“I will sell it because it’s a historic document and some people have already been looking for it. But it will go straight to the shelves, it won’t be on display,” said Laura Gasparian, owner of Argumento bookstore.
Indeed a 1,000-page edition – with the 650 pages from the original manifesto – is being designed along with 305 notes from an American edition plus other commentary from prominent Brazilian historians.
The 70-year copyright in Germany of the anti-Semitic tract, whose title means “My Struggle,” expired on Jan. 1, allowing it to be published in the country for the first time since World War II.
Brazilian Jews celebrate ban on publishing of ‘Mein Kampf’
January 19, 2016 9:40am (JTA) — A Brazilian publisher canceled the release of a new printing of “Mein Kampf” after strong pressure from the Jewish community and scholars.
Editing company Edipro reportedly decided on Thursday to call off a first printing run of 1,000 copies, saying it was an old translation to Portuguese from the 1930s, with no commentary. The release was slated for late January.
Vice-president of the Brazilian Israelite Confederation and also president of the Rio de Janeiro Jewish Federation, Paulo Maltz, announced that legal procedures are under discussion to prevent national distribution of the book authored by Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.
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However, Wurman joined some major interested publishers in Brazil in giving a thumbs up to an annotated edition, saying: “People need to understand what happened.”
“I will sell it because it’s a historic document and some people have already been looking for it. But it will go straight to the shelves, it won’t be on display,” said Laura Gasparian, owner of Argumento bookstore.
Indeed a 1,000-page edition – with the 650 pages from the original manifesto – is being designed along with 305 notes from an American edition plus other commentary from prominent Brazilian historians.
The 70-year copyright in Germany of the anti-Semitic tract, whose title means “My Struggle,” expired on Jan. 1, allowing it to be published in the country for the first time since World War II.
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