Unraveling Mein Kampf: Decoding Hitler’s Views on Jews Amidst Netanyahu’s Controversial Claims
Watan-In an attempt to escape the predicament in which South Africa placed the Israeli entity after its condemnation by the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that Hamas is the “new Nazis” and has come to commit genocide against Jews, citing Adolf Hitler’s book “Mein Kampf,” which he alleged was found in one of the homes in besieged Gaza.
Netanyahu, holding a copy of “Mein Kampf” at a press conference on Saturday, claimed that it was found in a Gaza house: “Hamas has come on behalf of the Nazis… They are the new Nazis who have come to commit genocide against us.”
Netanyahu’s statement came on the anniversary of what he claims to be the Nazi Holocaust against Jews committed by Hitler (the Holocaust).
A Lie that Deceived No One
Netanyahu reiterated the lie that deceived no one in the world, claiming that Israeli soldiers found a copy of this book in Arabic in a children’s bedroom in Gaza used by Hamas for military purposes.
He continued the deception by claiming that the soldiers also found a lot of anti-Semitic and Nazi literature. He said, “This is what they raise their children on.”
The defeated Netanyahu also claimed that Hamas not only teaches its children to carry out what he described as terrorist attacks but also teaches them how to destroy Israel and the entire Jewish people.
“Mein Kampf” by Adolf Hitler
But what is the book “Mein Kampf” that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to, and why does this book pose a headache for Israel, which has always made the so-called Nazi Holocaust a means to garner sympathy despite its extended criminal history and blood-stained hands for over 75 years.
“Mein Kampf” is a book by Hitler that combines autobiography and a detailed explanation of Nazism, with its first edition published in 1925 in German.
نتنياهو يرفع كتاب “كفاحي” لأدولف هتلر خلال مؤتمره الصحفي مدعيا أن جنود الاحتلال وجدوه في بيوت المواطنين في قطاع #غزة#الأخبار #حرب_غزة pic.twitter.com/tfA8rBDnHk
— قناة الجزيرة (@AJArabic) January 27, 2024
Began Writing in Prison
Hitler began writing it during his imprisonment in 1924 after the failed coup in Munich the previous year, for which he was sentenced to five years in prison for high treason.
He spent just over eight months in prison before being released early for good behavior. However, he spent much of his time behind bars writing “Mein Kampf,” and despite the book’s initial slow sales, it became one of the best-selling books in Germany after he became chancellor in 1933.
Hitler’s Ideology
In this book, Hitler wrote about his ideology, presenting himself as a leader of the far right. He talked about his life, youth, and his “turn” to anti-Semitism (hatred of Jews) during his time as a soldier in World War I.
He narrated his anger at the Treaty of Versailles and the reparations imposed on Germany due to the treaty. He did not believe in parliamentary democracy.
Rooted Opportunists
“The Führer,” as politicians called him, directed his anger towards communism and the Weimar Republic, accusing democratic socialists, Marxists, and the old German parliament of shameful collaboration with Jewish leaders.
He called for the destruction of the entire parliamentary system, indicating that those who reach power are “rooted opportunists.”
In his infamous book “Mein Kampf,” Hitler also wrote extensively about the future of Germany.
He expressed his desire to expand German territories in Eastern Europe and expel Jews from Germany, believing that they threatened the survival of the German people.
Although “Mein Kampf” does not explicitly mention the mass killing of Jews later during World War II (the Holocaust), it does show that he had already developed hatred for Jews at that time.
Enormous Revenues
Through two volumes of “Mein Kampf” – the second part was published in 1926 – Hitler made a huge amount of money, which may now amount to about 5.5 million euros.
By 1933, he had sold about 240,000 copies of the book. His tax debts, totaling almost 1.4 million euros, were waived after he became chancellor that year.
Criminalizing the Publication of “Mein Kampf” When Hitler committed suicide in 1945 at the end of World War II, the copyright for “Mein Kampf” passed to the government of Bavaria. They refused any copies or printing or reprinting of the book in any German region.
Hundreds of thousands of original copies of “Mein Kampf” still exist, but German leaders have long pledged that any republication or distribution of the original work without proper explanation remains a serious crime.
However, in 2016, the copyright expired, and the book became available in Germany for the first time since 1945.
There was much debate and divided reactions from Jewish groups, the public, and academics. As a result, a team of researchers from the Munich Institute of Contemporary History published an edition of two volumes in German, annotated with about 3,500 notes.
Although “Mein Kampf” has been translated into at least 16 languages, including Arabic, Persian, and Turkish, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chose an Arabic-translated version to support claims of anti-Semitism among Arabs and Muslims.
