The copyright on Adolf Hitler’s autobiographical manifesto, Mein Kampf, expires at the end
of this year.
And, Munich’s Institute of Contemporary History is making plans to republish the text
for the first time in Germany since 1945.
The reason for this long lapse in publication is that Germany has spent the last 70 years
attempting to distance itself from the disgraced Nazi regime.
It has done this by instituting a number of laws and public policies that heavily restrict
references to Nazi symbolism and propaganda.
So, what are Germany’s anti-Nazi laws?
Well, in the years following the fall of the Nazis, American occupying forces confiscated
all media in Germany that supported the Nazi Party-banning over 30,000 books, and incinerating
millions of copies.
They also destroyed all German military and Nazi memorials - with the exception of tombstones
and any related artwork.
Since wiping the slate clean, the German government instituted a list of directives banning all
Nazi-era symbols.
The laws restrict the creation, dissemination, storage, and importation of any unconstitutional
political party’s media, particularly the Nazi party.
It also bans any flags, insignia, uniforms, slogans and forms of greeting associated with
those parties.
However, the law makes a distinction in the context of art, science, research, education,
and journalism.
And although there is not an exhaustive ban list, it is generally considered to include
in one form or another; swastikas, the Celtic cross, the solar cross, the SS emblem, the
Odal rune, Wolfsangel, the Nazi war flag, the greetings, “Sig Heil” and “Heil
Hitler”, singing the Nazi anthem, or saying the Nazi’s motto.
It is also illegal to deny the holocaust, and this could lead to imprisonment.
Despite the understandable strictness of this ban, there have been some unintended consequences.
In 2006, the use of anti-fascist symbols which featured a crossed out swastika were deemed
illegal, as violations of the ban, despite their obviously opposite purpose.
In order to paint the absurdity of this interpretation, a member of the legislative branch turned
herself in to German police for having displayed the crossed out swastika during an anti-neo-Nazi
rally.
In 2007, the German government clarified that this particular symbol was clearly not pro-Nazi
propaganda and would be exempt.
Even though these anti-Nazi laws exist, the German government has only banned two political
parties in its history, despite the resurgence of a neo-Nazi political party in German parliament.
As a democratic nation, Germany has long been struggling to prevent its history from reoccurring,
while attempting to allow for freedom of speech.
The republication of this heavily annotated version of Mein Kampf is a clear example of
Germany’s balancing act between the importance of historical documentation, and the explicit
disapproval of their shameful past.
Even with Germany’s ban on Nazi propaganda, Nazism is on the rise in Europe, check out
this video to learn more.
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