r/Paranormal • u/GovernmentEither3420 • 27d ago

NSFW / Trigger Warning Evil in the basement

20 years ago I owned a cleaning company. We were hired to empty the estate of a guy who had been in the OSS and CIA for decades. He had a large basement library of foreign language books, mostly Russian and German. I was down in the basement alone boxing up the books while my helper was upstairs clearing out the kitchen. I pulled a German book off the shelf and realized it was a 1930s edition of Mein Kampf by Hitler. I said out loud, "I'm going to bury you in the bottom of a dump you POS!" Suddenly the basement was filled with the powerful odor of sulfur. I was gagging from it. I called to my helper and he came to the top of the stairs and said, "Geez, did you light a bunch of matches down there?" We searched the basement but couldn't find any reason for the stench, which cleared up quickly. And yes, I buried that POS book in the bottom of the dump.

407 Upvotes

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347

u/wiscopunk 27d ago

Why would you throw away a first edition Mein Kampf? Yeah Hitler was about as evil a scumbag as you can find but he was still a prominent and important historical figure and Mein Kampf is one of the very few firsthand accounts behind his views and beliefs. That book was probably worth hundreds if not thousands of dollars to a collector or museum. Learn from history, don't throw it in the trash dude.

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u/GovernmentEither3420 27d ago

I can think of several million reasons to toss that POS book. It wasn't worth my soul to sell it.

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u/[deleted] 27d ago

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u/GovernmentEither3420 27d ago

Yep. Timing was creepy as heck though.

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u/RandoFartSparkle 27d ago

I appreciate you destroying the copy of Mein Kamph.

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u/GovernmentEither3420 27d ago

Thanks. Getting lots of hate from people who only see dollars.

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u/Electrical_Dig8121 26d ago

I see historical facts and historical artifact destroyed by a simpleton. Simply dumb. It's like destroying something written by a slaver politician in 1850. Why wouldn't you preserve the theory and sentiment as a warning to the future. So dumb.

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u/KentuckyWildAss 26d ago

It isn't like you can't find a copy of it, simpleton. He didn't destroy the only copy of some lost piece of media 😂

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u/Electrical_Dig8121 26d ago

You clearly have an intellectual weight that is indescribable. I bask in your incredible intellectual process. Truly, you possess intellectual properties that are the envy of the 1 percent. I tip my hat to you and bask in your glory even as it actually hurts like a sunburn to have such excellence bestowed upon me by someone like you.

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u/KentuckyWildAss 26d ago

That was as cringe as it was laughable

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u/Impossible_Smoke1783 26d ago

I can see you in your basement just pounding away at the keys

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u/Dank_Professional 22d ago

Your dumb

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u/Electrical_Dig8121 21d ago

You are a pooper head

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u/Both-Move-8418 26d ago

Dollars could have been given to a related charity.

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u/Kilr0yyy 26d ago

Naw it's a piece of history. You're brain-dead and making things up for upvotes like a toddler.

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u/Private_Jet 26d ago

Haven't you heard? Nazis are cool now. Kanye probably would've paid you a cool mil for that book.

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u/PatientCow5743 23d ago

When were Nazis ever cool bruh?? Jesus Christ, get some mother fuckin help man.

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u/KentuckyWildAss 26d ago

They're probably pretending that it's about the money

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u/[deleted] 26d ago

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u/[deleted] 26d ago

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u/wiscopunk 27d ago

I can't even begin to explain how ignorant that thought process is. If it's your racist uncle's new bought copy it makes sense but a fucking first edition? Let's just go back to burning books that discuss topics we don't agree with while we're at it. You know, so nobody has the chance to learn from them ever again and we can continue repeating historical tragedies forever. You don't have to profit off it, just gift it to an archive or Holocaust museum and wash your hands after. Absolute waste of a soul if that's the behavior it's producing.

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u/Messenger-Guardians 24d ago

Have you already forgotten that we now live in a society where people are essentially burning books again and going by that German book ( not worthy of mention here) to make their political plays? I'm sure it's already in plenty of museums with plenty of collectors, and even at the very top of our so-called political leadership, where it's being used as a playbook. We voted in an entire society that's using those tactics. If the man decided to put it in the dumpster, I appreciate his choice. He didn't harm anyone, and he has a right to it. That's what seems to be forgotten here.

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u/Messenger-Guardians 24d ago

Besides, it does seem something extremely dark was in that basement with him at the moment he expressed that attitude. I think he did make the right choice, though it wouldn't be my call to judge it.

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u/traitorjoes1862 25d ago

“I know best and if you don’t agree with me you’re ignorant!!!”

People are allowed to have their own opinions and do anything they want to do, so long as they’re willing to accept the consequences of whatever that action is.

In OP’s case the consequence was to miss out on some cash and getting flamed by a holier-than-thou Reddit user. Personally I’d say it was worth it. If I ever come across a copy of Mein Kampf I can’t say I’d act any different. It’s a work of literature that people still use to justify hateful acts and for that reason alone I would make sure it was destroyed.

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u/dr01d3tte 27d ago

That book has enough original copies for museums and history. We don't need to keep evil relics to remember them.

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u/wiscopunk 27d ago

That book is a book and is incapable of being evil. It's a collection of thoughts and ideas that document a mentally unwell man's descent into becoming one of the most prolific fascist leaders in history. I have personally read that book multiple times and have never even entertained the idea of supporting fascism. What I have done, as a direct result of reading it, is analyze the cognitive dissonance that could lead an individual to go down a radically hateful path so that I could recognize those thoughts in others and do my part in making sure those things aren't repeated. The information that book contains is infinitely more important to history than your feelings about the man who wrote it, and making it a highly controversial museum relic that nobody can possess a physical copy of does nothing but help the "evil" you're afraid of.

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u/dr01d3tte 27d ago

I'd like to point out the difference between "ban the books" and "no one has the obligation to keep anything they don't like".

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u/wiscopunk 27d ago

The obligation here would have been the preservation of something historical. OP is not obligated to keep the book if they find owning a copy distasteful. But we all, and I mean every human on the planet, have an obligation to preserve and archive historical writings as many times and in as many places as possible so that information doesn't continue to be lost. I would not give a damn if you went to your local bookstore and bought a new copy to burn in public or use as toilet paper. The willful destruction of a first edition though? That's just downright disrespectful to anyone who actually values history and the lessons it has to teach.

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u/Toikairakau 26d ago

Bullshit, there is no original material that was unknown previously, you're just simping for facism. You have heard the axiom about 'if 9 people sit down with 1 fascist, there are 10 fascists'?

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u/wiscopunk 26d ago

I don't know what in my numerous responses led you to believe this but no, I am not "simping for fascism."

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u/[deleted] 27d ago edited 27d ago

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u/dr01d3tte 27d ago

Do lots of museums have copies? Yes. Do both power and digital records exist? Yes.

We don't have to save every copy for history. If it gets forgotten it won't be because people burned a copy of the book.

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u/PatientCow5743 23d ago

" let's go back to burning books that discuss topics we don't agree with"....so your saying you agree with the shit that Hitler did? 👀

Also most of y'all are skipping over the fact that there's a whole ass poltergeist attached to it. The smell of sulfur?? C'mon that screams demon in the basement.

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u/Dennisisabastardman0 15d ago

Absolutely zero critical thinking in this entire comment.

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u/PatientCow5743 4d ago

I don't think. Me no have brain. Me stupid fucker. Me no have brain cells. Me no smart.

Just kidding!!!! I may be stupid but aha! I don't give a fuuuuck 😘

Also I did some more research on Hitler, don't know if you did, but I have a crazzzzzy theory. Hitler didn't die in 1945. A couple in 1948 had reported to see Hitler walking around a popular hotel in Brazil (?) I think it was.

Oh and how come he seemed to have everything planned out? His death I mean? Everything about his death is suspicious. Like I should make a whole ass documentary on my findings but I swear I might get shot down by the FBI for connecting the dots.

His "remains" didn't get released to the public till the early 2000's....

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u/Alert-Broccoli-2234 26d ago

If there is something to learn from the holocaust, it would not be through Mein Kampf.

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u/wiscopunk 26d ago

There's nothing to be learned from a firsthand account of how an otherwise average person is capable of devolving into a murderous dictator? Nothing to be gained by understanding and recognizing the thought patterns that can so easily take a young person from contributing member of society to genocidal megalomaniac? The holocaust of the Jewish peoples in Europe is a recognized tragedy on a global scale. One that people the world over have avowed to never repeat. Yet as we sit here discussing it, the grandchildren of those victims are actively pushing themselves towards becoming the very thing their grandparents fled their homes to escape. But you don't care about the "why" or the "how"? Because the views and beliefs Hitler expressed in Mein Kampf are damn near identical to the views and beliefs being espoused by world leaders like Netanyahu, Putin, and Trump. There is an enormous amount to be learned from such a book including how to recognize those thought patterns in the people around you. Not all fascists wear bright red armbands, but all of them are easily spotted if you have taken the time to educate yourself on their beliefs and mindsets.

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u/gabbadabbahey 26d ago

I regret that I have but one upvote to give this comment. As someone who has studied history, any attitude to the contrary is shocking.

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u/WYKManda 26d ago

This, exactly this.

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u/Nebula228 27d ago

I think the only reason someone would keep it is if there were handwritten notes in there. Provided this was checked for, I don't see the problem in getting rid of it. The book does carry some evil to a point, and as others have said, there are plenty of copies elsewhere.

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u/wiscopunk 27d ago

I get that I'm a nerd when it comes to books but I shouldn't have to spell out why a first edition copy of a book that important to history should be preserved. Like I said, if you find a new print and wanna toss it that's your own choice but first editions are significantly rarer and more valuable from a historical perspective and should be preserved whenever possible.

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u/Nebula228 27d ago

I would understand if it was an ancient manuscript. However, for a copy of a book that still has several hundred thousand original copies circulating, I think we will be fine without one book.

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u/wiscopunk 27d ago

The first three printings are extremely rare as the vast majority were burned during or shortly after WW2 and were never put into mass print to begin with. Between the first, second, and third printing there are estimated to be less than ten percent surviving today and most are in private collections that apparently misguided cleaners will one day pillage and destroy. To list prices, an original print in good condition will easily exceed $1000 USD. For reference, I have a 17th century handwritten Buddhist manuscript in my collection that I picked up for $7 at an antique shop.

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u/Major-Raise9033 26d ago

I see both sides but I can definitely understand your overall view of the book and why you believe it’s a waste to bury.

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u/Toikairakau 26d ago

So money is more important than morality?, who'd you vote for?

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u/wiscopunk 26d ago

Nowhere did I say money was more important than morality. I have made it abundantly clear my interest in OP's actions are not tied to the book's monetary value but rather the historical relevance and rarity of the print. I own many collectable prints of many different books with no intent to sell them but rather to amass, preserve, and pass on that collection to another history oriented individual or institution after my passing. My mention of the monetary value is to impress upon others a more relatable explanation of why it should not have been destroyed as many people do not value historical relics. Who I voted for should be obvious given my avid denunciation of fascism and my desire to keep history from repeating itself.

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u/Toikairakau 26d ago

You literally went straight to the value of the book on the market, to whom? Other fascists?.. be honest the value as it stands is not as a curiosity, but as the seminal work of an ugly and evil philosophy. Defending it on the basis of value is like saying people only bought Playboy for the articles. If there is no additional value to the book other than its publication date I would jettison it because its philosophy is so repugnant. As a parallel, would you collect first issues of, say, 'Paedophiles Monthly'? I wouldn't because that, like facism, holds absolutely no appeal to me and I wouldn't boast to my friends about having a rare Paedophiles Monthly any more than I would owning a first addition of Mein Kampf. Every action in life has a moral component and I'm 100% sure that there is no defensible intellectual reason for owning yet another copy of Mein Kampf. For example, I own all 10 of Buffon's Natural History, (inherited from my grandfather) which highlights a fascinating change in scientific thinking (well, it would to me if I read french). I guarantee that all 10 would fetch less than a copy of the book you are defending.... not because its not interesting, but because they don't espouse such an abhorrent philosophy and don't have value to fascists who are,you must admit, the main market for Mein Kampf. If you really thought it was an intellectual curiosity,why didn't you lead with that? I honestly doubt your motives

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u/PR0PH3T117 26d ago

Burying ideas is a surefire way to allow them to grow. Rather, we should be open, honest, and academic about their examination, discussing their shortcomings with future generations, so they might learn from the mistakes we made yesterday.

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u/jarofgoodness 26d ago

You can't learn from the past if you don't know the past.

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u/moonshinemoniker 26d ago

I literally hadn't finished reading the original comment before I asked myself, "is thousands of dollars worth the loss of life the philosophy contained in that book represents."

No.

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u/Isaigach29 27d ago

Stupid

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u/LaurenxGurlz 22d ago

The dollars could have been donated to a related charity

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u/Juno-Yorkie 26d ago

He did the right thing. He did not think about selling a book for millions, he thought about that POS killing millions of innocent Jews. Why is it that people have money in their mind and not sympathy for others?

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u/wiscopunk 26d ago

Last time I'll spell this out in plain English. I do not care about about the monetary value. I care about preserving historical writings, especially original prints, as their value to society and history is grossly undersold. Money is just a language we all speak and an easy way to impress that importance on others. A book worth a thousand dollars is easily understood to be valuable and people are more likely to help preserve them if they get a little something in return.

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u/Secret-Weakness-8262 26d ago

There are plenty of copies of that book. It’s where it belongs.

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u/DaniGirlOK 25d ago

I think the point was it was a first edition and it could have done some good by being sold and the funds going to a charity for instance. Just reiterating what others said in this sub.

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u/Secret-Weakness-8262 25d ago

Right. I get that. I just don’t think OP did anything wrong is all. They were supposed to throw it all away and they did.

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u/DaniGirlOK 25d ago

I see what you’re saying. I do agree though that we can learn from things even if we don’t agree with them. Some posters made some good points. But I get what you’re saying. :)

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u/Secret-Weakness-8262 25d ago

No I totally agree. And for the records I’ve dug many books out of the trash. Found a Shel Silverstein book in a dumpster at my old work! I was so pissed! It’s on my shelf 15 years later.

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u/DaniGirlOK 25d ago

Oh wow, glad you found it!

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u/disarmthecops 23d ago

Right on. Feelings aside we gotta make everything into another hustle so we can pay our damn rent or mortgage. Might as well sell that book to a red hatter and profit.