Distant relative of Hitler entitled to "Mein Kampf" royalties

[Fenris]

Hitler Heir Doesn't Want 'Mein Kampf' Royalties
May 24, 9:50 am ET

BERLIN (Reuters) - A German historian said Sunday a distant relative of Adolf Hitler could sue the state of Bavaria for royalties from the Nazi dictator's book "Mein Kampf" but the retired Austrian engineer said he wants no part of it.

Werner Maser told Bild am Sonntag that Peter Raubal, whose father Leo Raubal was a nephew of Hitler, would have a strong chance of winning the copyright from Bavaria, which was given the German rights to the book by the postwar occupying powers.

<SNIP>

"Yes I know the whole story about Hitler's inheritance," Peter Raubal told Bild am Sonntag in what the paper said were his first public comments on the issue. "But I don't want to have anything to do with it. I will not do anything about it. I only want to be left alone."

In Germany, it is illegal to distribute "Mein Kampf" except in limited circumstances. Nazi symbols like the swastika and the stiff-armed Hitler salute are also banned. "Mein Kampf" is available online and in most countries, including Israel.

http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&story...

EDIT: Fixed link.

[CatWoman]

1. Morning, Fenris

I don't blame the poor guy -- I would avoid that book and the royalties like the plague.

[Fenris]

6. Heyo, Midori!

I agree. I wonder how he found out about it.

"Mr. Raubal, you may be entitled to royalties from a book published by a deceased relative of yours."

"Oh, yeah? Awesome! What book is it?"

"Mein Kampf."

*rimshot*

[qwertyMike]

2. Class Act n/t

[smada]

3. I would take the royalties

and donate them to the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

http://www.wiesenthal.com/about/office_index.cfm

[dedhed]

5. Great minds think alike!!

[no_hypocrisy]

7. The royalties from sales in the U.S. alone would make that a hefty

donation.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

8. Doesn't the German govt do something at least remotely along this line

already?

[Kellanved]

12. not the German Government, the Bavarian. But yes, it does

The only major income is generated by the American Edition. The rights for that edition are owned by a Random House subsidiary. Until recently, all income was donated to the German Welfare Council, a organization helping Jewish Emigrants.

As that Council is about to be disbanded, Random House has a problem: nobody wants the money.

The rights to the German edition are held by the State Bavaria. The rights generate very little royalties. So there is simply no money: the pre-war earnings are worthless because of the monetary reform, post-war earnings are not existent.
The "heirs" might try to sue the US Department of Justice, which sold the US rights to Random House,

[cjbuchanan]

10. wouldn't that be a little odd

I mean for them to make money off the book that basically called for the holocaust.

No saying it is a bad idea, just think that might be a little strange.

[smada]

11. It's catharsis

Turning a negative into a positive.

[Xithras]

18. Yep, that might give the skinheads pause

It might not stop them from buying it, but it would ruin their day to know that every copy of Mein Kampf benefits a Jewish-run tolerance center

BTW, has anyone else ever actually read the book? I read it once out of a "know your enemy" type curiosity, and still have a hard time believing that it actually inspired an entire nation to war. It's poorly written, full of history that most people should have known was false and delusional, and yet somehow manages to advocate a strong centralized socialistic system while at the same time demonizing the Marxists as one of societies great plagues. Hitler was definitely a card short of a full deck.

[dedhed]

4. Shame to let that money go to waste...

Why not collect the royalties, then do something good with them... like a huge donation to The Simon Wiesenthal Center.

How great would that be?!? Set it up so all future royalties are automatically dispersed to Wiesenthal or the ADL. Hitler's charred remains would forever flip in his grave!

[THUNDER HANDS]

15. how about taking the royalties

and helping stop the holocaust in Rwanda right now.

[Endangered Specie]

9. Donating to charity would be good but...

I imagine the guy has taken so much shit all his life from being a distant relative, and being entitled to truly bloody money that he just wants no part and no hassle and wants to live his life in some peace.

[cosmicdot]

13. so, the time period for book royalities is 'evergreen'?

is that the appropriate term?

... with no end?

[Kellanved]

16. well

It is not completely clear about what royalties he is talking
- Those generated by the American Edition (sold by the Dept. of Justice to Random House for $35000)
- The German Pre-War royalties (Worthless due to monetary reform)
- The German Post-War royalties (Peanuts)

Should he sue, and win he might get the Royalties for future German Editions. However, by German law, the copyright will be voided in 2015.

[underpants]

14. I thought Rumsfeld was already rich

[BringEmOn]

17. Ka-ching! Ka-ching! Bush Crime Family cashes in, again.