Storm in London: Hitler's "Mein Kampf" in Arabic sold in new store
Several copies of the book were found in the "Afaq" store, which opened earlier this month in central London. The owners claim that the books were placed in the back next to history books and were not prominently displayed, but a city council member who documented them claims: "They chose 'Mein Kampf' as one of the first books to display."
Public outcry in the UK following the sale of Arabic copies of "Mein Kampf", Adolf Hitler's antisemitic book, at a new bookstore in London. Several copies of the book were found at the "Afaq" store in Edgware, which opened on August 1. The discovery of the books sparked condemnation from representatives of the Jewish community and organizations fighting antisemitism, who demanded their removal from the store.
The copies were located by Elliot Keck, a city council member for the Conservative Party, who documented them in the store. In response to the publication of the photos, the store stated that there were only three copies in stock and that they were placed in the back of the business, next to history books. The store even claimed that security footage shows Keck rearranged the books for the photo.
"The presence of a controversial historical book in a bookstore does not constitute support for its ideas," the store stated. "Afaq unequivocally rejects Nazi ideology, antisemitism, racism, and Islamophobia."
Keck rejected the claims. In a conversation with the British Jewish newspaper "Jewish News", he said: "It is very clear from the photos that I separated them to show the number of copies they have for sale." According to him, "This is a bizarre way to distract from the fact that upon opening, they chose 'Mein Kampf', one of the first books to display on one of their main display tables, in what is considered a small bookstore."
Jewish organizations in the UK also criticized the sale of the book. A spokesperson for the Jewish security organization CST said that "no Arab bookstore in London should advertise and distribute the infamous antisemitic text of the Holocaust era." The Jewish Leadership Council (JLC) described the incident as shocking. Phil Rosenberg, a senior member of the London Jewish community, said the issue is being examined with partners in the community. The Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) also emphasized the difference between historical editions of "Mein Kampf", presented in a research and critical context, and the distribution of the book without such context. The organization warned against using the book in a way that could recycle and spread the antisemitic messages within it.
"Mein Kampf" was written in 1923, when Hitler and his associates were in Munich, where they tried to stage a coup ("Beer Hall Putsch"). The coup failed and Hitler was sentenced to 5 years in prison. He served only 9 months in prison, during which he wrote the book, whose title means "My Struggle". In the book, he expressed his admiration for power, praised aggression in political life, and outlined a plan for aggressive German foreign policy. In this book, Hitler also expressed contempt for Judeo-Christian morality and glorified his doctrine regarding the superiority of the Aryan race, in which the German people are a "master race". Hitler viewed Jews as subhumans (Untermenschen) and blamed them for parasitism and the destruction of culture.
