Mein Kampf Kriegsausgabe 1942

[gaetan soucy]

I have just acquired an example of Mein Kampf Kriegsausgabe dated 1942. It has nothing special except that there is an Obercommando das Wehrmacht acceptance mark stamped inside. There is also the Oldenburg Wappen on cover. It is in used condition with some light wear and was even read (there are cornered pages)!

I was told that these Kriegsausgabe books were issued to soldiers on the front. Is that correct? This book is also written in fraktur script. Just wondering why the Germans published Mein Kamps both with fraktur and latin scripts, why that? Were books published in fraktur script less common than the ones using latin scripts?

Thanks in advance!

[Br. James]

Hi, and welcome among us...though I also see that your membership dates from 2007!

As I understand it, Germany officially changed from both Sütterlin and Fraktur script to a standardized Latin script in 1941. This was in an effort to avoid problems caused by writing and reading military and civil defense orders and instructions issued in one or other of the older script styles. It was a war-time measure and lasted till 1945.

I assume your copy of MK is a reprint of an earlier, pre-1941 edition, which should/may be disclosed on the title page or its reverse. New editions mounted after 1941 should be found only in Latin script.

Br. James

[CWP]

I suspect that the Wehrmacht stamp you describe might be fake and a post-war embellishment; a photo would clarify this.

[gaetan soucy]

Thanks, Br James and Chris, for a reply, much appreciated.

I'd gladly post pictures but have no idea how. If I can email you directly a couple photos Chris, please let me know.

When I purchased the book, I was unaware of the presence of the Wehrmach Stempel, I discovered it after receiving it. The stamp seems original to me but of course I am no expert. I paid $100 for the book so I don't think that the Stempel, original or fake, added much value to it.

[Greg]

Hi,

To elaborate a little, the "Kriegsausgabe" was just the war-time version of what was called the "Sonderausgabe Bürgermeister;" or special edition for mayors, because it was originally meant to be presented as an award. It's most often called the "wedding edition" because it was presented by mayors or their representatives to couples at weddings. These editions quite often have a dedication page in the front from the mayor to the couple. They were also sometimes used for other sorts of presentations.

This edition wasn't intended to be given to soldiers at the front; I think you mean the so-called "Tornisterausgabe" (backpack edition) that was a smaller book that could be mailed to soldiers.

The change from Fraktur to Roman font took place after Martin Bormann decreed on January 3, 1941, that the Gothic typeface (Fraktur) was actually a Jewish script, and that in the future Antiqua (Roman) was to be used for printing. Bormann's decree is here http://german.about.com/library/gall...fraktur06E.htm . While the reason given is because it had been found that "Gothic" type was "Jewish," as my friend Br James said, it was really because the Germans needed to standardize printing to something everyone could easily read, including in foreign countries they had occupied.

The change took a while to implement, which is why your 1942 edition is still in Fraktur. I'll have to look in my database, but IIRC Fraktur type on the inside of a Mein Kampf is unusual before 1943, and I have seen 1944 editions that still use it. Especially the type on the spine continued to be still in Fraktur while the printing inside could be in Roman; I don't think I've seen a "wedding edition" with Roman appearing on the spine before 1944 (but there probably were some).

Best,
Greg

[münster]

42 Kriegsausgabe

[Greg]

Nice one, Dion! What city is it from?

Best,
Greg

[münster]

No dedication or Wappen on it Greg.

D