Several Nazi propaganda books removed from Amazon after backlash

Jewish News understands Amazon has taken down several Nazi propaganda books depicting Jews as “rogues and criminals” and “poisonous mushrooms” after a backlash.

Four books by Julius Streicher, the founder and editor of the Nazi newspaper Der Stürmer, appear to have been removed from sale by the online retailer this week.

The Streicher paperbacks were published by Third Reich Books on Amazon’s platform CreateSpace.

Streicher was executed at Nuremberg over crimes against humanity.

The official Twitter account for the Auschwitz Memorial called for the books’ immediate removal in a tweet on Friday afternoon.

A £7.61 children’s book called “The Mongrel”, along with an essay on how to teach the “Jewish question” to schoolchildren and Streicher’s political manifesto were apparently taken down.

Another book by Streicher entitled “The Poisonous Mushroom” – which was used as evidence at Nuremberg and was marketed for £7.67 – also appears to have been taken down.

The book, rated three-and-a-half stars by 26 online users, carries on its front cover a racist illustration of a mushroom made to look like a Jewish caricature of a bearded man with a large nose and marked with a Star of David.

A spokesperson for Amazon said on Tuesday: “As a bookseller, we believe that providing access to the written word is important, including books that some may find objectionable.

“We take concerns seriously and are listening to feedback. Amazon has policies governing which books can be listed for sale; we invest significant time and resources to ensure our guidelines are followed, and remove products that do not adhere to these guidelines.”

Karen Pollock, chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, welcomed the move but said “a plethora” of Nazi material remains on the website.

“I would encourage Amazon should audit its current stock and review their policies so this does not happen in the future – we are more than willing to work with them on this,” she said on Tuesday.

Among the material currently available on Amazon are the complete diaries of the propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels with entries spanning 1923 to 1945, marketed for £13.75.

Also on the platform is a homophobic speech by the head of the SS Heinrich Himmler from 1938, available for £6.74, as well as a £10.68 book written by the senior Nazi official Alfred Rosenberg. 

A virulently antisemitic tract, marketed for £3.95, entitled the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, which claims Jews control the economy and the media, can also be purchased from the site.