The public prosecution department has decided to press charges against the owner of a shop in Amsterdam for selling Hitler’s book Mein Kampf.

The department has taken the decision because the book contains statements which are hurtful to Jews and which encourage hate, discrimination and violence against Jews, the department said in a statement.

The owner of the shop has admitted he knew this and that selling the book is a criminal offence, the department said. ‘Despite this, he had the book in stock with the aim of selling it.’

Three copies

The Dutch Jewish Federation instigated the case against the defendant in October 2013. There will be a pre-trial hearing on August 26.

The Totalitarian Art Gallery had three copies of the book for sale. Gallery owner Michiel van Eyck told the NRC last year he was not surprised by the legal action. The book was not displayed in the window, but is an historic item which fits in with the collection, he said.

The gallery had two original copies of the book for sale, plus a Dutch translation. The shop also sells other memorabilia from the Nazi era as well as relics of Stalin’s rule in Russia and China under Mao.

Seven years ago, the Dutch parliament voted to retain the ban on selling Mein Kampf by a narrow majority.