Unknown Edition of Mein Kampf

[BrodieBartfast]

Hello folks.

I picked this oddity up off eBay over the weekend, and just had it delivered this morning. It's not an edition of Mein Kampf that I've seen before, and I've been unable to find any others to compare to. It is the James Murphy translation, published by Hurst & Blackett, and features a red cover beneath a very plain white paper dust jacket. There is no specific printing date that I have been able to find, with the only reference to a possible date being a reset for this edition, carried out in April 1942.

I do know that Hurst & Blackett's presses were destroyed by a German air raid in 1942, and so my gut tells me that this is a postwar edition. How old it is, I can't guess. I have read that printing of Mein Kampf resumed in the late 1960's, so possibly from around that time?

Any help on this one would be greatly appreciated.



Regards, B.B.

[rbminis]

Have you looked through this thread?
A Guide to Collecting Mein Kampf
Ralph.

[BrodieBartfast]

Have you looked through this thread?
A Guide to Collecting Mein Kampf
Ralph.

Yes, I did go through that thread, but no cigar. A broader internet search didn't turn up any results either.

Regards, B.B.

[Gwar]

Probably not too helpful but may have clues.. G
http://www.hitler-library.org/Mein-K...tors-Guide.pdf

[BrodieBartfast]

Probably not too helpful but may have clues.. G
http://www.hitler-library.org/Mein-K...tors-Guide.pdf

If it doesn't offer any clues, it'll be a good read, at least. Thanks for the link.

B.B.

[drmessimer]

B.B., the full story behind the Hurst and Blackett unexpurgated edition of Mein Kampf can be found in Mein Kampf: A Descriptive Bibliography by Stephen Pastore, Andreas Stanik, and Steven M. Brewster on pages 101-118. Briefly, E.T.S. Dugdale translated the book in 1931 and offered it to several publishers, all of whom turned it down. How Hurst and Blackett came into the picture was an equally convoluted affair, but Hurst and Blackett finally published the first abridged editions from 1933 to 1938, without naming the translator. Sales were brisk and the entire 5,000-copies run was sold out before the year ended and the 1938 sales exceed expectations. Mein Kampf was, apparently, a capital venture for Hurst and Blackett with no political motivations. The first unexpurgated edition appeared in 1939. The copy you have is unusual because it has the original dust cover, which appears to be in mint condition, as does the book itself. From a collector's pint of view, you have acquired a very desirable addition to any collection. Dwight

[BrodieBartfast]

B.B., the full story behind the Hurst and Blackett unexpurgated edition of Mein Kampf can be found in Mein Kampf: A Descriptive Bibliography by Stephen Pastore, Andreas Stanik, and Steven M. Brewster on pages 101-118. Briefly, E.T.S. Dugdale translated the book in 1931 and offered it to several publishers, all of whom turned it down. How Hurst and Blackett came into the picture was an equally convoluted affair, but Hurst and Blackett finally published the first abridged editions from 1933 to 1938, without naming the translator. Sales were brisk and the entire 5,000-copies run was sold out before the year ended and the 1938 sales exceed expectations. Mein Kampf was, apparently, a capital venture for Hurst and Blackett with no political motivations. The first unexpurgated edition appeared in 1939. The copy you have is unusual because it has the original dust cover, which appears to be in mint condition, as does the book itself. From a collector's pint of view, you have acquired a very desirable addition to any collection. Dwight

Thank you for the additional information, Dwight. This was a purchase from eBay, a dirty word for some collectors, but it goes to show that some real gems can dredged up from amongst all the dross. I was considering using this one as a reading copy, but I've since wrapped it in acid-free tissue paper and put it into storage, now that its true value has come to light. It's now happily seated in a cupboard, alongside my German 'Volksausgabe' copy.

Regards, B.B.