Mein Kampf, Volume II

By Carolyn Yeager

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TWO YEARS AGO, I ran a series of excerpts from Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf, Vol. One, taken from Thomas Dalton's new 2017 German to English translation.

I'm now into Volume Two, and will do the same (summarizing the chapters) with it. I'll begin right at the beginning this time with Chapter 1, WORLDVIEW AND PARTY. But I'm going to START at subheading 1.4, page 25, “The Folkish Concept:

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ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE, with all kinds of divergent opinions, are parading around under the 'folkish' banner. [...] The word 'folkish' doesn't express any clearly specified idea. It may be interpreted in several ways, and in practice it's just as vague as the word 'religious,' for instance. [...] The word 'religious' acquires a precise meaning only when it's associated with a distinct and definite form through which the concept is put into practice.

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CHAPTER TWO OF VOLUME TWO, THE STATE, is quite long so I will present my selected excerpts in several separate installments--as many as it takes. It begins with a description of different conceptions of the State, followed by comments on the policy of so-called  “Germanization.”

(See here for series introduction)

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GENERALLY SPEAKING, one can distinguish three different conceptions [of the State].

(1) Those who hold that the State is a more-or-less voluntary group of men under a ruling authority … those who worship legalized authority; the will of the people has no role whatsoever. This is the largest group.

(2) The second group ... includes those who desire a uniform system of governemt, but also a uniform language—though solely for technical reasons of administration. State authority … must also promote the good of its subjects … it's primary duty is to ensure the economic well-being of the individual citizens. The chief representatives are to be found among the average German bourgeoisie, especially our liberal democrats.

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THIS POST CONTAINS EXCERPTS FROM CHAPTER TWO OF VOLUME TWO of Thomas Dalton's translation of Mein Kampf, pages 47-69, presenting the essence of Hitler's rationale for his belief that preserving the original racial “purity” of the folk as much as humanly possible was vitally necessary to preserve the “culture-creating” element in Aryan civilization. Let's keep in mind that this was written in 1924-25 when Hitler was 35 years old and serving a prison term of 5 years. He did not know whether his now-outlawed movement would survive, or that he would be released after 8 months for good behavior. (See here for series introduction.)

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2.3 - It's the first obligation of any new movement based on a folkish worldview to put forth a clear and logical doctrine of the nature and purpose of the State.

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FROM MEIN KAMPF, SUMMARY OF CHAPTER TWO OF VOLUME TWO, pages 69-87 of the dual-translation. (See here for series introduction.)

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2.10 - A folkish State should begin by raising marriage above the level of being a constant scandal to the race. […] In our present state of law and order, this brave, bourgeois-national world looks upon it as a crime to make procreation impossible for those who suffer with syphilis, tuberculosis, hereditary diseases, and also cripples and cretins. But the actual prevention of procreation among millions of our very best people is not considered an evil, nor does it offend against the noble morality of this social class, but rather encourages their short-sighted laziness.

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FROM MEIN KAMPF, CONTINUING SUMMARY OF CHAPTER TWO OF VOLUME TWO, pages 89-117 of the dual-translation. (See here for series introduction.) 

2.12 Between School and Military Age

The folkish State will have to regard post-school physical training as a public duty, one equal to intellectual training; these should be conducted through public insititutions. … [C]onfident in his own strength and in the basis of that commonly-experienced espit de corp, [the youth] must become convinced that he belongs to a people who are invincible. [...]

The folkish State will also have to direct the education of girls, analogously to that of boys. Here again, special importance must be given to physical training, and only later to spiritual and intellectual values. The final goal of female education should always be that she will one day be a mother.

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FROM MEIN KAMPF, FINAL SUMMARY OF CHAPTER TWO OF VOLUME TWO, pages 121-133 of the dual-translation. (See here for series introduction.)

Note the importance Hitler puts on "selection" in the Folkish State. It brings to mind (or it can bring to some minds) the use of "selection" in the forced labor-work camps during the war years 1941-45. In these labor camps, detainees were often lined up and 'selections' were made for the most appropriate workers to be sent on particular day jobs. This was also the purpose of the selection process at the time of entering a camp for the first time: then selections were made between those who could work and those who couldn't to be put into different barracks, and also for what type of work skills each entering detainee had. Much distortion has been made in "holocaust" literature of this German policy of selecting the best man or woman for the job at hand, rather than haphazardly assigning people where they might be of little value. Interesting to consider, I think.

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FROM MEIN KAMPF, SUMMARY OF CHAPTER THREE OF VOLUME TWO, pages 135-141 of the Thomas Dalton dual-translation. (See here for series introduction.)

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TODAY [1925] THE RIGHT OF CITIZENSHIP is acquired primarily by being born within the borders of a State. Race or nationality plays no role whatsoever. A Negro who once lived in one of the German protectorates and now takes up residence in Germany, has a child that automatically becomes a 'German citizen' in the eyes of the world. Similarly, the child of any Jew, Pole, African, or Asian may automatically become a German citizen.

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FROM MEIN KAMPF,  SUMMARY OF CHAPTER FOUR OF VOLUME TWO, pages 143-161 of the dual-translation. (See here for series introduction.)

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THE NATIONAL SOCIALIST folkish State must adapt its own organization to meet it's principal task: to educate and preserve the bearers of the State … and train them for practical life.

It would be absurd to appraise a man's worth by his race, and make war against the Marxist principle that all men are equal, while being unwilling to draw the ultimate consequences … (that) the same applies to individual men within their national community. [O]ne head is not equal to another because, here too, the constituent elements of the same blood vary in a thousand subtle details, though they are equal in broad outline. [...]

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FROM MEIN KAMPF, SUMMARY OF CHAPTER SIX OF VOLUME TWO, pages 185-215 of the Thomas Dalton dual-translation. (See here for series introduction.)

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[O]UR FIRST GREAT meeting [was] in the banquet hall of the Hofbräuhaus on 24 February 1920.

6.1 Fight against Poisonous Propaganda

There was a meeting every week, almost always in that hall, and each time it was fuller than before, and the people more attentive! […]

We gave greatest attention to the peace treaties … in those days, a public mass meeting … with the topic 'The Peace Treaty of Versailles' meant an attack on the Republic … one could expect an immediate and almost stereotyped reply: 'And Brest-Litovsk?' 'Brest Litovsk?'* … One wanted to pound one's head against a wall in despair over these people! They would neither listen nor understand that Versailles was a scandal and a disgrace, a dictate that marked an unprecedented thievery of our people. … the enemy's poisonous propaganda had robbed these people of their reason.

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FROM MEIN KAMPF, SUMMARY OF CHAPTER FIVE OF VOLUME TWO, pages 163-183  of the Thomas Dalton dual-translation. (See here for series introduction.)

Another highly enlightening chapter for me, even more so than the previous one. Read it thoughtfully. So glad to be able to bring these abbreviated versions to you. -cy

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THE FOLKISH STATE ... WON'T BECOME A REALITY simply due to the fact that we know what's necessary for it. It's not enough to know how such a State should appear. … The existing parties … cannot be expected to bring about a change in the regime … because the leading elements are always Jews and yet more Jews. The present trend of development would, if allowed to go on unhampered, lead to the realization of the pan-Jewish prophecy—that the Jews will one day devour the other nations of the Earth and become their master.

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FROM MEIN KAMPF, SUMMARY OF CHAPTER SEVEN OF VOLUME TWO, pages 217 to 265 of the Thomas Dalton dual-translation. (See here for series introduction.)

Compare then and now ...

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IN 1919-1920, AND ALSO IN 1921, I attended some of the so-called bourgeois meetings. It invariably had the same effect on me as the compulsory dose of castor oil in my youth. It has to be taken because it's supposed to be good for you, but it tastes terrible! […]

7.1 Bourgeois 'Mass Meetings' 

… At that time, I attended meetings of the Democrats, the German Nationalists, the German People's Party, and the Bavarian People's Party (the Bavarian Center). … Nearly always they were made up exclusively of party members. The whole thing was more like a yawning card game than an assembly of people who had just gone through a great revolution.

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FROM MEIN KAMPF, CHAPTER SEVEN OF VOLUME TWO, pages 217 to 265 of the Thomas Dalton dual-translation. (See here for series introduction.

This completes Chapter 7. A lot here for dissidents to learn about a confident attitude and fearless organizing. 

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7.6 Marxist and Bourgeois Meeting Techniques

The Marxists always exercized the most rigid discipline, and thus the question of breaking up a Marxist meeting could never have originated in the Bourgeoisie. …

Therefore the moment a bourgeois meeting was announced a howl of rage went up from the Red press. …

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FROM MEIN KAMPF, SUMMARY OF CHAPTER EIGHT OF VOLUME TWO, pages 267 to 283 of the Thomas Dalton dual-translation. (See here for series introduction.)

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GERMAN PATRIOTIC ASSOCIATIONS, for the purpose of facilitating their work, [may] establish mutual relations … for carrying out common actions … clubs, associations, or parties whose goals and methods are not too far apart. … Here arises a general conviction that such a union is an immense gain in strength, and that previously weak, small groups have now suddenly become strong.

This, however, is mostly false! …

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HI FRIENDS. Well, I stopped my summaries of Mein Kampf, Vol. II after Chapter 8 back in November 2020, took a break for Thanksgiving through New Year, after which the madness of January 2021 began, with the U.S. Capitol “riot” and the beginning of the criminal Biden administration taking center stage. Now that I've slowed way down on writing original commentary, and finished making much more of my site content visible and linked from the front page side bar (have you noticed?), I've decided to complete the special section on Mein Kampf (still so relevant today). So we begin with Chapter 9, Vol. II, using Thomas Dalton's side-by-side German to English translation (pictured here). Enjoy.

Chapt. 9, p 285 Basic Ideas Regarding the Meaning and Organization of the S.A.  Summary (Part One)

9.1 The three bases for authority in a state are popularity, power (force,) and tradition. Popularity alone is weak and must be bolstered with power. If these two are united, the authority becomes more stable and secure. An invincible foundation is laid by adding the authority of tradition.

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Chapt. 9, Vol II: Basic Ideas Regarding the Meaning and Organization of the S.A. (Part Two)  Summary

9.8 The Revolution led to the enforced creation of a new power factor to ensure state authority—a worldview in direct contradiction to the former one. It was able to create a new army—limited externally by the peace treaties—that was subsequently transformed in spirit into an instrument of the new state conception.That the revolution as a political act succeeded was due to: 1) a paralysis of our conceptions of duty and obedience, and 2) the cowardly passivity of our so-called state-preserving (conservative) parties. [Mitch McConnell is the epitome of this in the US.]

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Chapt. 9, Vol II: Basic Ideas Regarding the Meaning and Organization of the S.A. (Part Three)  Summary

9.13 As an underlying principle in the SA's internal development, we decided to have nothing to do with the bourgeois type of defense organizations, and especially not with any secret organization. Rather, we decided the men should be perfectly trained in physical education, also instructed in the National Socialist idea [worldview] and finally, educated toward the strictest discipline.

9.14 In examining the question of the creation of defense leagues, I've not stopped asking: For whom am I training these young people? For what purpose will they be employed when they are called up? The answers to these questions provide the best rule for us to follow.

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Chapter 10, Vol II: The Mask of Federalism 
summary

(I inadvertently skipped from Chapt. 9 to Chapt 11. For this new version of my website, I have changed the order of the posts, so Chapt 10 does not appear after Chapt 11. I have not changed the post dates. But give me credit that I had noticed it! -cy)

10.2   Until November 1918, the average man misunderstood what was happening, and didn't realize what the inevitable consequences would be of the internecine quarrel between North and South Germans. On the day that the revolution broke out, the leader and organizer of the revolution in Bavaria, the international Jew, Kurt Eisner, began to play off Bavaria against Prussia.

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Chapt. 11, Vol II:  Propaganda and Organization summary

11.1  Organization is something that owes its existence to organic life, to organic development. […] One must take account of those human weaknesses that make men hesitate, especially at the beginning, to submit to a superior mind. For this reason it's advisable to sift through the gathering human material to look for leading minds. It sometimes happens that apparently insignificant men will nevertheless turn out to be born leaders.

Great theoreticians are only very rarely great organizers. The organizer must first of all be a psychologist. He must take men as they are … must not have too high or too low an estimate of human nature. Rarely is a great theorist also a great leader. ...An agitator who shows himself capable of transmitting ideas to the broad masses must always be a psychologist, even though he may only be a demagogue. …Being a leader means: to be able to move the masses. The gift of formulating ideas has nothing to do with leadership abilities.

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Chapter 12, Vol II: The Trade Union Question summary

12.1 In the first volume of this book, I explained that unless measures are undertaken to change the employer's attitude toward the worker … the worker has no recourse except to appeal to his equal rights as a contracting party within the economic sphere. I further stated that this would be in the interests of the national community if social injustices could be addressed that would otherwise cause serious damage to the whole social structure. Moreover, the worker would always find it necessary to undertake this protective action as long as some among the employers had no sense of their social obligations, or even elementary human rights. I concluded by saying that if such self-defense was considered necessary, it could only exist in the form of a workers' association on a trade-union basis. 

Now it was necessary to find a clear and precise formula regarding these problems.

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Chapter 13, Vol II: German Post-War Alliance Policy  Summary

13.1   [The November Criminals] had no interest in an alliance policy that would untimately result in the restoration of a free German State. It would have interrupted and indeed put an end to the internationalization of the German economy and labor; the domestic political effects of a successful fight for freedom from foreign countries would be disastrous for those who now hold power in the Reich.

Since 1918, governmental authorities have failed us in foreign affairs, and State leaders have almost constantly and systematically worked against the interest of the German nation.

13.2  Our movement has always proclaimed the principle that external freedom is not a gift from heaven or any earthly powers, but can only be the fruit of our inner strength. Only by the elimination of the causes that led to our collapse, and the destruction of all those who profit from it, can we fight for the restoration of our external freedom.

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Chapter 14, Vol II: Germany's Policy in Eastern Europe  Summary

14.1  A source of anxiety to me:  The members of our movement are not recruited from those who are indifferent, but rather mostly from among those with very extreme worldviews. [...] It's only natural that their understanding of foreign politics should suffer from prejudice and inadequate knowledge ... However harmful their previous teaching may have been, this was at least partially balanced by a residue of sound and natural instincts. [...] Thus I feel myself obliged to offer to my own colleagues a clear exposition of the most important problem in foreign policy, namely, our relation to Russia.

A folkish state's foreign policy must first of all bear in mind the duty of securing the existence of the race on this planet … by establishing a healthy relation between the number and growth of the population and the quantity and quality of the soil.

Chapter 14, Vol II: Part Two - Germany's Policy in Eastern Europe  Summary

14.10   As early as 1920-21 […] the party was approached from various quarters in an attempt to connect it with liberationist movements in other countries. This was in line with the much-promoted 'League of Oppressed Nations.'

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I always resisted such attempts. […]

The alliance with Austria, as well as that with Turkey, was not very helpful. (Referring to the recent Great War -cy) […] Germany paid dearly for that mistaken foreign policy. But it wasn't bitter enough to prevent our eternal visionaries from falling back into the same error again. The attempt to disarm the all-powerful victors through a 'League of Oppressed Nations' is not only ridiculous but disastrous, … because it continually diverts the German people from real possibilities, which they abandon for the sake of fruitless hopes and illusions.

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Chapter 15, Vol. Two: The Right to Emergency Defense  Summary

15.1  Developments in Germany since 1918 prove that the hope of winning the victor's favor by voluntary submission has the most disastous influence on the political views and conduct of the broad masses.

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Seeing that the direction of our post-war historical destiny was now openly controlled by Jews, it's impossible to admit that defective knowledge was the sole cause of our misfortune. Rather, we must conclude that our people were intentionally driven to ruin.