'The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them'
Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Saturday, 30 January 2010
On this day...
Adolf Hitler was sworn in as German Chancellor in 1933. Eight years before, he had unwittingly created one of the most interesting yet abhorrent literary works of the 20th century; 'Mein Kampf'. Written while he was imprisoned for contributions to the failed revolution of 1923, the two volumed book outlined his belief of Communism and Judaism as the twin evils of the world. Despicable though its contents may be, the book was extremely popular both at home and abroad. Indeed in 1938, the United Kingdom saw more than 53, 700 copies sold, and by the time he gained power in 1933, Hitler is said to have accrued 1.2 million Reichsmarks; 250 times that of a teacher's annual salary.While in office, Hitler published three editions of the book, including the 'Hochzeitsausgabe', given away free to every marrying couple, and the 'Tornister- Ausgabe', which was given to every serving soldier. Copying or printing the book is illegal in Germany and sale restrictions apply in countries worldwide.
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