BF has copy of Famous Book By a German Man with a Hairy Lip Need Advice

[southoftheeast]

Hi, hopefully this is as anonymous as possible...please don't judge about timing, etc., I have autism/adhd combined

My boyfriend has a copy of --Min Kmf, which I knew about but didn't really make a fuss at the time. It was just not in my consciousness at the time.
I seem to remember him explaining something, but I can't quite remember (neurodivergent - it's complicated)
Anyway, to cut a long story short, he's recently decided to start bragging about owning it on social media. It was only then, when I actually did some deep research on it, that I realised just how bad it was - I was particularly offended with H's opinion on black people (related to me), but overall it's offensive.
So I confronted him and asked him to explain why he actually has the book (a bit late, I know), and, more importantly, whether he believes everything in it, and what that says about me. Anyway, this was last week, and from that time on he hasn't responded or been in contact.
He was supposed to spend the holiday with the children and me, it's a serious relationship, etc., we may as well be married...
Ive had lots of deep thought about this (I am a loner, so I have lots of time when my children are asleep to hyperfocus on things) and I still don't think I was wrong to ask. He did get back, actually, and said, I don't have to explain to myself.
I left a voice note for him today to explain my situation and how i feel and but hes not read it/responded. Hes extremley stubborn.... I am too...
But I don't know what else to do than abandon ship or wait for him to respond. AIBU?

Also its a growing mindset, particularly agains the young. We are making a lot of prevent referrals at the moment for extreme right wing stuff, mostly about Hitler and Jewish people

Not helped by all the P stuff.

I think it depends on the wording of his social media post. I realise that for anonymity purposes you may not want to share the exact wording. But was it actually expressing support for Hitler's ideas? Or more like bragging in the sense of showing off that he has read a difficult / historical book?

Ive read Mein Kampf on the grounds that it's important to know your enemies. Its a terrible piece of writing, but even if it was perfect prose, that wouldn't be the point, would it? Owning a copy is one thing, but bragging is WEIRD. Suggesting that some of Hitler's ideas were good, however, should be enough for you to kick this Neo-nazi muffin out of your family's life for good.

he's recently decided to start bragging about owning it on social media

Unless he’s in the professional area of relevant historical research, that is odd and I would get rid.

Amongst the young

As others have said, I don’t think it’s an issue to own the book - it’s something I’ve been meaning to read for a while as I have a curiosity about mass movements where people seem to become unflinchingly brainwashed by one person. Of course I hate the ideology and obviously the author was evil personified.

So while it’s not necessarily weird to own a copy, it is weird to a) brag about it on social media and b) not talk to you for a week after you asked a perfectly reasonable question.

If I owned a copy and someone asked me why, I’d be very quick to explain my reasoning. I certainly wouldn’t want to leave people guessing and wondering if I was a secret Nazi!

Op would you object if your boyfriend had a book by Stalin or Chairman Mao?

Own a copy of a historical text - fine

All the other stuff - why haven’t you ended it already?

I've read parts of Mein Kampf (history degree) and it's just incredibly spectacularly mind-numbing

I got it out of the library as a teenager and attempted to read it, but it was fairly hard going. Same with Das Kapital, although that was a bit more engaging for the reader. I don’t sympathise with either philosophy. I’m just interested in the way people think and construct belief systems.

If your bf has studied history or philosophy it’s not such a big deal he has that book. Talking about it on social media? Yeah, I’d find that off putting if he’s saying it to be provocative or showing off.

I guess why he has it is important. I’m Jewish and on the face of it, I wouldn’t be offended by that. I had to read it in school/university (not the whole thing, but parts of it). And I personally think it’s important that it’s kept alive and read so that people today never forget or minimise or alter the narrative of the Holocaust.

Now if he has it because he’s a far right loony, that’s different.

I don't own mein kampf, but I have read it.
I enjoy history, and learning about the impact on the present. The author of thus book has had a big impact on shaping the current world (not in a good way).

Have you read it?

I don't think there's anything wrong with your partner reading the book. I have read it, and decided it was very well written but that the man was crazy. It's just a piece of history. I was curious. However he shouldn't be leaving you alone on Xmas day, and perhaps could explain himself

He sounds very weird but I don't think owning Mein Kampf is problematic in itself. It's a piece of literature with historical significance. Likewise the communist manifesto.

Same. I bought a copy second hand when I was doing my degree. It really is a terrible book and he isn't a very good writer. Anyone who reads that and thinks he is a good writer, I would be a bit concerned about tbh, OP...

Yes @everywhereeverything1 the book is an issue but what stands out more for me is her DPs absolute refusal to discuss his choices with the Op. Anyone who shuts down all discussion by saying they won't explain themselves isn't good partner material

I think I still have a copy knocking around somewhere - I got it as we had to read extracts from the book for my History A level.

I wouldn’t have an issue with someone reading it out of curiosity or because they’re interested in history / psychology etc. It’s following the ideology or agreeing what he wrote that’s the issue.

Yes this! I tried to read it once and boy it was boring. It really wasn’t as juicy as it’s made out to be.

As others have said, it depends on why he has it. Boasting about it on social media doesn’t sound great though.
I tried reading it once - dear God what a boring, self-pitying whine it was.

Mao is still required reading in Chinese schools. He is still in the PRC constitution, on the money, on TV pretty much every day, also heavily censored in China.

I'm not making any point here really.

:-)

surely you must know by now what his views are and whether they are compatible enough with yours to sustain a relationship? I suppose you need to ask yourself whether it is really possible that he has been hiding his world view from you.

the book is a red herring. it’s fine to be interested in the causes of ww2.

I was thinking maybe the little red book?

People who say "I don't have to explain myself" are actually saying "I'm not accountable to you for my actions".

He's either a historian, or a far right...you ll now which. Has there been any other signs before this?

I did a history degree a long time ago and Mein Kampf was a set text on one course I did so I've read it.