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Publisher's Note: In recognition that this is a sensitive subject, please see Editorial before reading.
This section is to help advise on which kinds of authors to watch out for and which ones to avoid when it comes to reselling. I will be highlighting one author in each Bookologist newsletter which you could look out for in your travels to buy books. Please feel free to write in and disagree with me or give your opinions. Please also email me at http://www.camelotonline.net/aboutus.html and nominate authors you think should be included. By working together, we can perhaps compile a good list of authors that would sell well in your book business.
Author Watch: Adolf Hitler (1889 -1945)
Adolf Hitler hardly needs an introduction to anyone. As dictator of Germany from 1933 to 1945, he was responsible for the deaths of countless millions as well as starting World War II. But before the job of German chancellor came along, Hitler found success as an author. His most famous work, "Mein Kampf," is his best known work, but he also produced a sequel which, until 1961, no one knew existed.
It is speculated that the sequel was put on hold because of poor sales of Mein Kampf and also because Hitler was concerned that the views expressed in his second book would seriously offend the very people he was trying to win over in his bid to consolidate power.
The sequel called "Hitler's Second Book" was discovered in an archive after the war and published in German in 1961. A very badly translated and inferior English version was published in the same year under the title "Hitler's Secret Book." However, in 2003, a much better translation was produced by Krista Smith under a new title "Hitler's Second Book" and is freely available on Amazon.com.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1929631162/qid=1096498000/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/103-8700614-8522236?v=glance&s=books&n=507846
However, it is "Mein Kampf" that is collectible and potentially valuable if you get your hands on the right edition. The book (which means "My Struggle" or "My Fight") is a book of Hitler's extreme right-wing political views dictated by Hitler and transcribed by Rudolf Hess while they were both serving a prison sentence at Landsberg prison for treason.
The book was originally called "Four Years of Struggle against Lies, Stupidity and Cowardice," but Hitler's publisher, Max Amann, managed to persuade Hitler to shorten the title to "Mein Kampf."
Sales at first were dead, but as Hitler slowly came to prominence, bursting onto the national and international political scene, sales rocketed. After Hitler become chancellor, it was considered disloyal if you didn't have a copy of "Mein Kampf" on your bookshelf. Not having a copy of the book marked you down as politically unreliable. After the war, sales died again for obvious reasons but in the last 10 years or so, interest in the first editions and other older copies have picked up and prices have begun to rise.
The book itself is badly written and awful to read. I was forced to read it when I was studying Hitler at school for my exams, and every page was torture. But for some people, owning a copy of "Mein Kampf" is owning a piece of history itself.
As with Conan Doyle books, it would be advisable to avoid eBay for "Mein Kampf." eBay Germany bans the sale of Mein Kampf, and no German high street bookstore will sell it or order it for you. No German library will loan you the book except to serious academics who can prove they need the book for research purposes. However, the fact the book is banned doesn't mean no one wants to own it. But if you try to sell the book through German channels to a German buyer, you will have many official barriers placed in your way.
Saying that however, AbeBooks Germany surprisingly has one listing for Mein Kampf. It is a 1938 edition and the price is around $400. However that listing may be removed at any time if anyone complains. Sometimes listings appear and it is some time before the law is finally enforced and the listing removed, but no exceptions are ever made.
Bookselling Tips
Avoid listing on eBay, which tends to get nervous about politically and historically controversial items, and instead list on the Abebooks site. Listings on eBay run the risk of being cancelled at any time if anyone complains.
In looking for books to resell, concentrate on first editions (the book was first published in 1925) and copies signed by Hitler and other high-ranking Nazi officials. Ignore the recent versions published in the last 10-15 years. The value of the book lies in its historical uniqueness so a signed hardback first edition will bring in the dollars, a 2001 paperback version will not.
Look for ones decorated with the swastika, one with photos of Hitler, ones with Germanic Gothic writing and so on. The more unique the version the more people will pay. Hitler was in the habit of signing copies and presenting them as gifts to soldiers, his staff and supporters. So there are quite a few signed copies out there if you are lucky enough to come across one. Signed copies in good condition can go for tens of thousands of dollars. The most expensive signed first edition on AbeBooks is listed for $140,000. However, be aware of fakes. Hitler's signature is a scrawl and easily forged. There have been cases of his signature being forged in an attempt to raise the value of a cheaper edition. If possible, get some kind of provenance from the current owner and ask for a detailed history of ownership.
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