The neo-Nazi bookseller and historian Pedro Varela has admitted that edited and distributed for 13 years the Mein Kampf, by Adolf Hitler. Varela has been tried for a crime against intellectual property, since until April 30, 2015, to publish and distribute Hitler’s book was a crime, until 70 years after the death of the author. Varela, sold at least 4,375 copies between 1997 and 2010, as he admitted, in addition to showing the judge several copies of Hitler’s book in Spanish, to demonstrate “that he is not the first to publish and sell in Spain this book”.
The prosecutor has asked for him 15 months in prison, a fine of 10,800 euros, disqualification for three years to act as a merchant and publisher and compensation for the State of Bavaria of 67,637 euros. In 2009, the German consul in Barcelona denounced Varela for the book’s distribution. It was then that the prosecutor of Crime of Hate and Discrimination of Barcelona opened in 2009 a judicial front for this cause against Varela.
Right-wing concentration in the Court
The prosecutor has stated that “it is well known that Hitler’s copyright was not free until 2015,” and that both international and Spanish and German legislation confirm that fact. “Varela knew perfectly well that he was committing an illegality, more considering that he is a historian and has a great training,” said the prosecutor.
Before the beginning of the trial, a score of young people concentrated to support the bookseller and to show Francoist and National Democracy flags. At the end of the trial, Varela was received with applause by several skinheads in the corridors of the building.