A controversial new German novel imagines Hitler in the 21st century
Imagine this: After a 66-year slumber, Adolf Hitler finds himself in 21st century Berlin where he enters politics, discovers jeans and email, and becomes a modern-day celebrity complete with a role on a popular Turkish-German TV show.
That鈥檚 the premise behind one of Germany鈥檚 most popular 鈥� and controversial 鈥� new books, 鈥淓r Ist Wieder Da,鈥� or 鈥淗e鈥檚 Back.鈥� The 400-page debut novel by Timur Vermes capitalizes on Germany鈥檚 renewed fascination with the Nazi leader with stunning success as the country marks the 80th anniversary of his rise to power. The book has so far sold more than 400,000 copies and tens of thousands of audiobooks and has beat out novels by Paulo Coelho and Ken Follett to nab the top slot on Germany鈥檚 bestseller lists.
鈥淲e too often harbor the negative attitude of those who see Hitler only as a monster to make themselves feel better,鈥� author Vermes told . 鈥淚 thought it was important to show how he would operate and how he would act in today's world.鈥�
In the novel, Hitler rouses and is bewildered to find himself in a modern Germany ruled by a woman and populated by millions of Turks. He enters politics 鈥� no surprise 鈥� where he crusades against speeding and dog doo. He becomes a talk show star and, in one scene, stumbles across a group of boys in soccer jerseys and mistakes them for members of the military, addressing them as 鈥淩onaldo Hitler youth.鈥澛�
鈥淚 want to show that Hitler would have a chance to succeed nowadays just as he did back then, just in another way,鈥� Vermes told the UK鈥檚 .
The satirical wit extends to the book鈥檚 cover and even its price. The striking black-and-white cover depicts Hitler鈥檚 iconic black parted hair, with its title printed as his mustache. Even its price 鈥� 鈧�19.33 鈥� refers to the year Hitler became German chancellor.
鈥淗e鈥檚 Back鈥� joins a bevy of Hitler-inspired art and media in Europe bordering on Hitler-obsession, including comic acts, a burlesque musical comedy, magazine covers, and even a comic film directed by a Jew.聽
Not surprisingly, the novel鈥檚 popularity has some in Germany uncomfortable.
It is the 鈥渓atest outgrowth of a Hitler commercialization machine that breaks all taboos to make money,鈥� wrote weekly news magazine .
In an almost melancholy air, German newspaper wrote, 鈥淲e laugh, but it鈥檚 a laugh that sticks in the throat.鈥�
Husna Haq is a Monitor correspondent.
