As 2015 ends, the publication rights and official copyright of ‘Mein Kampf,’ which translates to ‘My Struggle,’ will end. After 70 years, at midnight New Year’s Eve, the now-banned book will enter the public domain and any publisher or reader can get a hold of it with ease.
December 30 also marked 100 days of Nepal’s highly anticipated constitution proclamation. The masses strongly believed all the sluggishness would finally be over: a new Prime Minister, a new Head of State, a new Vice- President, a new Speaker, a new Deputy Speaker, and the eventful, first-ever woman president did sparkle a bright light at the end of the tunnel. However, the distant light is turning out to be a train coming at us more than 100 kilometers over the speed limit.
There is great political instability. During these hard times, if you are considering for some reason (because it’s political?) to check out the Adolf Hitler written autobiographical manifesto following its official copyright expiration; here are some things to look out for:
Reading the book won’t turn you into a Nazi
“No one, who reads the book today, will become a Nazi simply by doing so,” Christian Hartmann told Süddeutsche Zeitung, a German Newspaper. Hartmann is a historian and member of German historical society that worked on an annotated version of ‘Mein Kampf’. Although the book was banned in many countries, people could anytime obtain a copy online. Lifting the ban and republishing could terminate the mysticism surrounding the book. Just like a legalized drug, the book will lose it’s allure once open to the public. Books are harmless, dangerous is the interpretation.
Ethnic/ Religious intolerance is bad for the national interest
History is proof; Hitler’s Germany is an example. ‘Mein Kampf’ tries to sell the idea of one supreme belief system. But look how wrong Hitler was. No matter what religion or ethnicity, every citizen is equally important. The universal knowledge is that harmony amongst all the people leads to peace and prosperity. Lack of empathy between ‘Madhes’, ‘Pahad’, and ‘Himal’ will have a disastrous impact on the growth of the country.
Xenophobia/ racism is for bigots
Humankind is looking to colonize planets in the near future, yet, there are people out there who excruciatingly hate people because of their nationality or race. Such a disgraceful act was unfitting to the Axis powers many years ago. It goes without saying, bigotry is still a big ‘no, no!’. The unofficial blockade imposed by India has managed to further fuel Nepal’s resentment and already weak relationship with India. The plea goes out to people living on either side of the border, “love thy neighbor.”
The Kampf is real
Hitler may have been the dictator of this country, but he cannot dictate words to form sensible sentences. Hitler tried way too hard to illustrate his scientific racism, saying things like “The stronger must dominate and not mate with the weaker.” If you are a book-lover and want this to be your first book of 2016, get ready to be disappointed. It is poorly written and will rake low in intellectual awards.
Happy New Year!
