‘Mein Kampf,’ ‘The Defector’ Tops in Germany

A number of new titles hit the top of the bestseller lists in major European markets at the end of February. The first three fiction titles in Germany were new last month, but the book that caused the biggest stir was on the nonfiction list: the annotated edition of Mein Kampf landed at #2. Adolf Hitler’s manifesto had not been published in Germany since the end of World War II, because the Bavarian government owned the copyright and refused to allow anyone to print it. The copyright expired at the end of December, putting the book in the public domain. Under German law, the book can now be published by any party, provided it includes criticism of the original text.

The top-selling title in fiction in Germany was also a book that was originally written more than 60 years ago. The Defector by Siegfried Lenz—the late German novelist whose well-regarded books and short stories often had WWII themes—was written in 1951, but it had not been released until this year.

The three top-selling fiction titles in France at the end of February were new to the list, led by The Horizon Upside, the newest novel from Marc Levy. A children’s picture book was the top seller on the combined fiction and nonfiction in the Netherlands last month. The 65-Story Treehouse is the latest volume in the Treehouse series by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton. Some earlier volumes have been released in the U.S. by Feiwel and Friends.

France

For the week ended Feb. 29; used by arrangement with Livres Hebdo

Germany

For the week ended Feb. 29; used by arrangement with Buchreport

The Netherlands

For the week ended Feb. 29; used by arrangement with CPNB De Bestseller

United Kingdom

Nutrition coach Joe Wicks retains the #1 spot on the U.K. bestseller list for February with Lean in 15. At #2 is a decidedly less health-conscious title, Mary Berry’s Foolproof Baking. U.S. readers may remember her as a judge on the imported cooking competition show The Great British Baking Show and ABC’s The Great Holiday Baking Show.

Combined Fiction and Nonfiction

Australia

Anthony Doerr hits #1 in Australia, up from #5 in January. Unit sales for his All the Light We Cannot See are up about 2,900 copies in February over the previous month. U.S. imports dominate the list, claiming every spot except #2, held by Rosalie Ham’s The Dressmaker, which is down a spot from January, when it topped the chart.

Combined Fiction and Nonfiction

New Zealand

Elementary, a true-crime book about a high-profile double-murder and the #1 bestselling title in New Zealand, got a publicity and sales boost when its author was threatened with a lawsuit by another author who had previously written about the case.

The book was pulled from one chain according to local news accounts.

Combined Fiction and Nonfiction