An Italian dictionary containing derogatory definitions of “Jew” and “Judaism” is being withdrawn by its publishers following complaints by the local Jewish community. The community has also initiated actions seeking to bar distribution of a new Italian edition of “Mein Kampf.” Both actions were reported by the World Jewish Congress.
The Union of Italian Jewish Communities, the central representative body of Italian Jewry and a member of the WJC, said that the new printing of “Mein Kampf” had recently appeared on some newsstands and was being sold throughout Rome. The Union immediately undertook to have Italian authorities confiscate the book in accordance with existing statutes.
The director of the WJC office here, Fritz Becker, explained that according to law, the sale of “Mein Kampf” could not be banned for its contents, but Italian press and printing laws stipulate that the name of the publisher and the printer must be indicated in all books. In this case neither the name of the publisher nor the printer is noted in the book.
The Union has been successful in the matter of the “Dictionary of the Italian Language” which, in the words of a judicial proceeding against the publisher, contains entries “insulting to Jews.” The Curcio publishing house has written to the Union that, following their complaints, it is with-drawing from the market all copies of its dictionary and that the pages containing the derogatory definitions will be substituted.
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