Mein Kampf facts for kids
Mein Kampf (which means My Struggle) is a book written by Adolf Hitler. Another person, Rudolf Hess, helped Hitler write it, but his name is not on the cover as an author. The book has two main parts. Hitler wrote the first part while he was in jail in Landsberg am Lech. He was put in jail after a failed attempt to take power in 1923. He wrote the second part after he was released early from jail.
From 1926 to 1930, the two parts of the book were sold separately. Each part cost 12 Reichsmark, which was the money used in Germany then. In 1930, both parts were published together as one book. Many different versions of the book were printed between 1925 and 1945. Each new version was checked and changed a little to make unclear parts easier to understand. It is thought that other writers helped Hitler with these changes.
In Mein Kampf, Hitler shared his ideas for a bigger Germany. He also wrote about his future plans for Jewish people. When he became the leader of Germany in 1933, he started to make some of these plans happen. This led to a terrible event called The Holocaust, where many Jewish people were killed. During the time the Nazi government was in power in Germany, the book was given away for free at government offices. This was because the book was a form of propaganda, and giving it away helped the Nazis get more supporters.
After World War II, it became illegal to print or sell new copies of Mein Kampf in Germany and Austria. However, it is not illegal to own a copy of the book. It is also allowed to sell or buy used copies of the book.
What Did Mein Kampf Talk About?
- Hitler wanted to join Austria with Germany. This joining, called the "Anschluss", happened in 1938. The Austrian government at the time asked Hitler to make Austria part of a "Greater German Reich."
- The book strongly showed many anti-Jewish ideas. It especially said that Marxism, a political idea, was bad and created by Jewish people.
- It introduced the idea of "nationally oriented socialism" (Nationalsozialismus). This is where the word Nazi comes from. Hitler believed that wars should be about different groups of people (races) fighting, not about different social classes fighting each other.
- The book suggested that the political system of the Soviet Union, called Bolshevism, should be broken apart. It said this should happen through a "war of the races" (Rassenkrieg in German).
- According to the book, there was not enough room for the German people to live. Winning such a "race war" would give people of "Aryan" blood more "living space" (Lebensraum) in the east.
- Germany should avoid fighting a war on two sides at once. Because of this, England was seen as a good partner for a future war.
- The book said that parliamentary or democratic governments should be replaced. Instead, there should be a state where one single leader makes all the decisions. It was believed this would be better for the people.
- The book also described how the NSDAP (the Nazi Party) should be organized.
- Finally, it included some stories about Hitler's own life and a history of the NSDAP up to 1924.
Images for kids
-
Arabic edition of Mein Kampf
See also
In Spanish: Mi lucha para niños
