Re: _Mein Kampf_: did it persuade anybody?

On Jan 14, 2:59 pm, "Michael Kuettner" <Michael.Kuett...@xxxxxx>
wrote:
"Rich Rostrom" schrieb :

Millions of copies of the book were sold during
the Nazi reign, but it has been stated that very
few of these were actually read.

Well, if you consider that many of the books were bought
by the NSDAP and given to Frontkampfer (soldiers who
saw combat), firefighters, etc. the sales look a little different.

Sales _during_ the Nazi reign, which include
bulk purchases by the state for free distribution,
are different from sales in 1924-1933, which
would all be voluntary purchases by individuals

Wiki sez that even before his release from
Landsberg, Hitler had made enough money
to buy himself a Mercedes, and that by 1933
240,000 copies had been sold, and Hitler
owed 400,000 marks in unpaid taxes on his
royalties.

So the question is: did this book actually have
any persuasive effect on Germans of the period?
And if so, how?

To answer that question, I did some research.
I picked randomly 5 newspapers from 1940 -1942.

This is rather later than the period I was
particularly thinking about. I would be more
interested in seeing how MK was cited,
quoted, or discussed in 1925-1933, when
Hitler and the Nazis were most actively
working to persuade.

Othmar Pl ckinger [sez]...
Until January 1933, 241000 books had been sold.
Harry Potter sneezes at that number.

I don't quite understand this metaphor. Does that
mean you doubt this report?

A retired Bavarian notary, Klaus-Dieter Dubon,
found a cache of papers relating to Hitler's
tax assessments and payments iin 2004;
these documents show Hitler had collected
over 1M marks in royalties by 1933, and
evaded taxes on nearly all of it. (When he
took power, his tax debts were voided.)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4105683.stm
(via Wiki)

When the book was published in 1925, every newpaper made fun
of it. The "Bayerisches Vaterland" called the book "Sein Krampf", e.g
(his convulsions)

If it was that ridiculous, it should have
been an embarrassment, and a weapon
for Hitler's enemies and rivals to use
against him. It should have disappeared
down the memory hole like his second
book.

So - if I may ask - what _persuasive_
effect did _Mein Kampf_ have? And how
was this effect achieved?

None.

But that does not seem consistent with its
sales and reputation.

Is there not _one_ biographical or
autobiographical source which says
that the subject was persuaded by
MK to follow Hitler or become a Nazi?

No testimony from anyone whose
friends or relatives were persuaded
by it?

.