Nazism

Japan’s new hit: "Mein Kampf", Manga-style

Team Observers — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:46:45 +0200

A Japanese publishing firm has re-edited a translation of Adolf Hitler’s ideological pamphlet, first published in 1924. But this edition has a new twist: it’s a manga-style comic. It’s made quite a splash in Japanese bookshops.

"Mein Kampf" is the latest publication in a collection of historical comic books called "Manga de Dokuha" ("Learn with mangas") edited by the publishing firm East Press. The collection already includes manga versions of Karl Marx’s "Capital" and Tolstoy’s "War and Peace". These revamped classics usually sell around 35,000 copies nationwide.

The publishing rights for “Mein Kampf” have until now been held by the German region of Bavaria, which decided which firms were authorised to publish new editions of the text. But the copyright will expire in 2015 and the pamphlet will enter the public domain.

East Press explains that the manga is a "tool to study Hitler’s personality", to "understand the thoughts that generated such a tragedy".

Harley Davidson trying to cause offence?

Sophie Team Observers — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:10:07 +0200

One of our Observers in Japan, Lee Chapman, photographed this motorbike, complete with Swastika-shaped spokes, outside a Harley Davidson shop in Tokyo. Depending on how you look at it, it could represent the ancient Buddhist symbol for universal harmony, the infamous emblem of Nazi Germany, or, as Lee tells us, simply being "cool".

Lee has been living in Tokyo for ten years. He posted the photos on his blog, Tokyo Times, on Monday.

Since posting this on my blog a few people have left comments saying that it's actually the Buddhist symbol the manji rather than the Nazi swastika. The idea doesn't really work though as it appears on a motorbike wheel. For one, to see the manji you could only look at it from the left side, and secondly, I don't think many Buddhist priests drive Harley Davidsons.

I do think there's nothing nasty in it however. Although it would indeed be found extremely offensive in many other parts of the world, here it's just seen as something cool; Hell's Angels' style from the ‘60s. My boss drives a Harley Davidson and when I told him about the bike he replied ‘Yeh, I've seen them around'. Nothing along the lines of ‘I know, isn't that terrible?'!"

Homegrown neo-Nazis in the Jewish state

Sophie Team Observers — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 18:17:06 +0100

A group of Neo-Nazis who filmed themselves committing violent acts in the heart of the Jewish state have been condemned to jail.

They planned to celebrate Hitler's birthday in front of the Yad Vashem, Israel's memorial to Holocaust victims. But when 20 April comes around next year, they'll still be in prison. Eight young neo-Nazis, originally from post-Soviet states, were given sentences of up to seven years on Sunday. One of them is the grandson of Holocaust survivors.

The youths were sentenced for a series of violent acts, largely targeting immigrants, prostitutes, gays and ultra-orthodox Jews. All members of the group, who referred to themselves as "Patrol 36", pleaded guilty. And it would have been difficult not to. Evidence against them was documented by themselves, and then posted online. The footage had already been seen by the majority of Israelis after the group was arrested last year.

Extracts from a video retrieved from the home of a "Patrol 36" member.

Hitler – fodder for comedy?

Sophie Team Observers — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:40:00 +0200

In today's comic terrain, few if any subjects are off limits. Case in point, the proliferation of YouTube clips that use Adolf Hitler as fodder for comedy.

Using a pivotal and sombre scene from The Downfall, Oliver Hirschbiegel's controversial film about Hitler's final twelve days in his Berlin bunker, the YouTube videos juxtapose subtitles that are completely unrelated to the content of Hitler's words. The scene in question depicts Hitler's bout of unsuppressed anger as he is told by a group of cowering generals that the war and Nazi cause will end in defeat for Germany.

Since the film is in German, YouTubers have taken the liberty to add subtitles that deal with unlikely and comical subject matters. In one clip Hitler is enraged by Barack Obama's success; in another, he is lambasting the transfer of footballer Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United to Real Madrid; and in a third, Hitler scolds his generals as he is told that his Microsoft Live account is frozen and that he should think about getting a Wii instead.

Funny indeed, but the videos also raise some interesting questions. Should Hitler be used as fodder for comedy? What psychological function do such jokes fulfil? And is evil trivialised by such efforts? Our Observers weigh in.

Please be advised that some of the clips contain strong language.

Neo-Nazis flaunt videos of violent attacks online

Sophie Team Observers — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:56:45 +0200

Preying on foreigners and gays and then posting the gruesome evidence online has become all the rage for skinheads in Russia. The growing trend was brought to public attention at the end of July, when a case opened against a gang charged with the daylight murder of 20 people.

The youths being charged, aged between 17 and 22, specifically picked on immigrants from central Asia and Caucasia, and then posted footage of the horrific and unprovoked attacks on video sharing websites. And with no less than 141 similar groups in Russia, it's unlikely that theirs is an isolated case.

Material compiled with the help of Anastassia Metral.

Russia celebrates Nazi Germany – by accident

Julien — Tue, 13 May 2008 16:54:21 +0200

The end of WWII is celebrated on May 9 in Russia. Since Putin came to power, the event has become increasingly more commercial. But this year, it went a step too far, when eager party-goers put up Nazi symbols in place of Soviet war imagery.

Hailing Hitler on Capitol Hill

Julien — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:11:32 +0200

A group of around thirty neo-Nazis marched through Washington on Saturday to protest against illegal immigration. One man who took part in the rally tells us why he's proud to hail Hitler, while a free speech activist explains why he has the right to say something that, in a European country, could have him put behind bars.

Mein Kampf in pride of place on bookshop shelves

Julien — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 16:30:04 +0100

Bookshop shelves displaying both Mein Kampf and a book about Barack Obama in a department store in Jakarta

Hitler's notorious diary ‘Mein Kampf' was translated into Indonesian in 2007. An immediate bestseller for publishers Narasi, it became one of their top five favourites. An employee from the publishing house explains why. Should we be worried about this seemingly unhealthy interest coming from the most populated Muslim country in the world?

The book comes in two volumes; both with the swastika on the front cover. It's got prime place in most big bookshops; in a country that consists 85% Muslims, and has only thirty confessed Jews despite a 234 million-strong population.