The book that changed the world…
… And no, that’s not an exaggeration. The appearance of this book back in 1924 really divided the world into “before” and “after” once and for all. Because today I’m talking about Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf.
And I believe that this book… A must-read for everyone. In order to figure out where Nazism’s legs come from.
How I Got to Know Mein Kampf
I was born and raised in a small town near Kaluga. There wasn’t much to do except to read, chat with comrades, and have a yard-to-yard showdown.
And in our yard there was a gang of teenage ultranationalists who called themselves the “Defenders of Russia.” Very shaved, very tough and very leathery guys with kolovrats on their chests. Which were really cool and protected the yard from all sorts of bastards. To be honest, I respected them and envied them.
They read books about the glorious history of Russia, about great battles and heroes, about the struggle for freedom and justice. They shared these books with me, and I enjoyed reading them, trying to understand their worldview. To put it bluntly, they had a whole mini-library with various books of this kind, “from Hitler to Dugin.” And they eagerly borrowed them all over the neighborhood, believing that after reading them, new guys would join them.
One day they gave me a book to read, which they said was the most important and correct of all. It was Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf.
Yes, it began to be published more or less freely. In any case, the copy was typographic.
The photo does not correspond to the actual sample and is used for illustrative purposes.
I took it home with me and started reading. I expected to find a reflection of my thoughts and feelings in it, as in the other books they gave me.
But I was wrong.
I was wrong, because in this book I found nothing but hatred, lies, and madness. Nationalism, which aims at the harm of a foreign nation and not at the good of one’s own, and which respects the capitalists, I believed, and still do, is profoundly wrong. And few of the Sodvor residents were also imbued with it, so the movement of these “defenders” faded away by the beginning of the noughties. In their place came the more cheerful and fair National Bolsheviks (although, formally, non-partisan), let’s be honest, with me as one of the ringleaders and “cultural ideologues”.
Nationalism, yes, bourgeoisie, wars, and injustice, no. That was our answer to Mein Kampf.
Why This Book Is So Important
Mein Kampf changed the world… Unfortunately, not for the better. It laid the ideological foundation for the Nazi regime in Germany, which unleashed the most terrible war in the history of mankind, which claimed tens of millions of lives. This book has become a symbol of evil and fanaticism, which has not disappeared from the face of the earth to this day. Most people who know about it are disgusted and despised.
But Mein Kampf also has a lot to teach us. It can teach us how to recognize and counter the lies and manipulations that are so often used by politicians and opinion leaders. How to analyze and criticize arguments and arguments that contradict common sense and scientific facts. It can teach us how to respect and love all people, regardless of their race. nationality or religion… At least as long as they have the citizenship of your country: I somehow have neither respect nor love for migrants who take jobs away from Russians.
This book is so important because it shows us how not to live. How not to think. What not to do. It shows us the price we pay for not having or not wanting to have beliefs.
And in front of us, everything is blooming
Everything is burning behind us
Don’t think he’s with us
Who will decide everything for us!
Everything is ahead, and now
Meter by meter
Walking across Ukraine
Soldiers of the “Center” group…
Why should it be allowed to be distributed?
Many people believe that Mein Kampf is a dangerous book that can incite violence and extremism. They demand that its publication and sale be banned in order to prevent it from influencing the minds and hearts of new generations. They fear that this book could revive fascism and spark new wars.
I do not agree with this approach. Banning Mein Kampf is not a solution to the problem, but an evasion of it. This is not a way to prevent historical mistakes, but a way to forget about them.
I think Mein Kampf should be allowed to be distributed, but… As an educational material, a historical source. This book should be accessible to anyone who wants to study history and politics, who wants to develop their critical thinking and their civic position.
I believe that Mein Kampf is a kind of inoculation against Nazism. It can cause unpleasant reactions in the reader, but it can also strengthen his mental immunity against contracting this dangerous disease. To make you think with your own head, knowing what the seemingly consistent nonsense described in this book has led to.
It can help to recognize the symptoms and signs of Nazism in the modern world and counteract them.
I believe that Mein Kampf is a book that should be read, but not blindly believed. Which should be criticized, but not banned. Which you need to know, but not read.
Conclusion
I’ve told you how I came to read this book, how it has influenced my thinking and my life—and why I think it’s so important. Why I think it should be allowed to be distributed.
I don’t want to praise this book or its author (especially the author). I don’t want to justify or insult those who agree or disagree with it. I don’t want to impose my opinion on you or convince you of anything. I just want to share my experience and my vision with you.
Mein Kampf is a book that is too important as a memory of the mistakes of humanity to be banned. This is a book that should be available to anyone who wants to learn from other people’s examples, and not repeat someone else’s mistakes. This is a book that should be the subject of study and discussion, not taboo and prohibition. Is it the end?