Mein Kampf in the Other Axis Nations?

Discussion in 'World War 2' started by GearZ, Nov 20, 2014.

  1. GearZ

    GearZ Member

    Hello all. I am curious about translations of Mein Kampf in to the languages of the other Axis powers. I know it was translated into Italian during the interwar period and sold well in said country. It also was translated into Japanese during the war, but I don't know how widely circulated it was.

    Does anyone know how well known the work was in the other Axis countries (e.g., Hungary, Croatia, Finland, Bulgaria, Romania, Japan, Thailand, et al.)?
     
  2. Interrogator#6

    Interrogator#6 Active Member

    I was prompted to read the Wikipedia entry on Mein Kampf. It is light on Nazi-sponcered transations and publication, either pre-war or during the war. I think you just discovered an interesting topic for an undergraduate or graduate historial thesis: Nazi disemination of Mein Kampf.

    Wikipedia talks of different foreign language editions but with the exception of English language (nations: England and Canada, and America) all foreign language editions seem to be post-war (usually must later).

    May I suggest if you are seriously interested in a quick answer to this topic you may derive benefit from a trip to a better public library (perhaps at a college or university) and visiting with the Professional Librarian. I suspect this person will be able to ferret out a list of historian thesis published in the past 50 years and then assist in obtaining a copy through Inter-library Loan.
     
  3. Interrogator#6

    Interrogator#6 Active Member

    While further researching I found:

    http://research.calvin.edu/german-propaganda-archive/lar

    This seems to be a labour of love of one particur fellow, quite a knowledgible fellow. You may wish to write him an e-mail on your particular thesis. Ask, if he does not have the ready answer, if he knows of a student thesis on the topic or a book on the topic of Nazi disemination of the book to occupied peoples.

    I found a reference to Nazi propaganda to Arabs, but have not provided it for you.
     
  4. GearZ

    GearZ Member

    Thank you Interrogator for the insights. Since posting, I have dug up sources indicating interwar and wartime translations in the Axis nations:

    Italy (1934). New York Times: 'Mein Kampf': The Italian Edition
    Finland (1941). Finland's Holocaust: Silences of History, Simo Muir, ed.
    Japan (1937). Japan in the Fascist Era, E. Bruce Reynolds, page 110. Note this was an abridged version that omitted some of the more racial content.
    Hungary (1935, 1937, 1941 and 1944 editions). Hungarian National Library (Harcom is the Hungarian title for the book)

    I'm still researching its publication, if any, in Croatia, Bulgaria, Vichy France, and Romania.
     

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