Author:  Adolf Hitler
Published by: Hurst And Blackett Ltd. London
Book Source: Digital Library of India Item 2015.526617

About the book:
Mein Kampf (“My Struggle”) is the autobiographical and political manifesto written by Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler. Begun in prison after his failed 1923 Beer Hall Putsch, the book outlines the core tenets of Nazism, serving as a blueprint for his future actions.

The book, published in two volumes in 1925 and 1926, is an incendiary work filled with rabid antisemitism, a racist worldview, and an aggressive foreign policy geared toward acquiring Lebensraum (living space) in Eastern Europe for the German people. Hitler blamed Germany’s defeat in World War I on Jews and Marxists, whom he called the “November Criminals,” and promoted the idea of an “Aryan” master race.

Initially a slow seller, Mein Kampf became a bestseller after Hitler’s rise to power in 1933. By 1939, it had sold over five million copies and was translated into eleven languages, becoming a “bible of National Socialism” and an official wedding gift from the state to newlyweds. Its pages laid out the ideology that would lead directly to World War II and the Holocaust, the systematic murder of six million Jews and millions of others.

Why should you read “Mein Kampf(1939)”?

You should read “Mein Kampf” (1939) to understand Adolf Hitler’s ideology, worldview, and political goals, as it serves as a detailed, albeit biased, autobiographical and political manifesto. It provides insight into the origins of Nazism, detailing his antisemitism, racist beliefs, and plans for Germany’s future, including the quest for “Lebensraum” (living space). Reading it is crucial for understanding the historical context and the forces that led to World War II and the Holocaust.