Clerks in Turkish bookstores now have an unusual problem: In Turkey as in the rest of the world, best-sellers are usually put in the front window for passersby to see, but this time they are somewhat hesitant. Copies of the new edition of Hitler's Mein Kampf are being snatched off the shelves, and now the question is whether anti-Semitism is on the rise in Turkey or people are just curious .

Tens of thousands of copies have been sold since the two cheap paperback editions were released. According to some analysts, the fact that the book can be bought for less than $5 is the reason it has become a best seller. They also claim that Turks are curious about it and the low price enables them to satisfy their curiosity. According to others, interest in Hitler is a political statement protesting what they view as Israel 's attitude toward the Palestinians, or criticism of American policy in Iraq or of Turkey 's bid to join the European Union.

That claim is strengthened by the fact that the country's top seller is a book called Metal Storm , a novel about a fictional war between Turkey and the United States . Books presenting conspiracy theories are popular as well, especially those dealing with Israel .

Lina Filiba, executive vice president of Turkey 's Jewish community, said that the book's popularity was “disturbing,” but said that media interest and low prices were the reasons for it.

The books were printed without the permission of the Bavarian Ministry of Finance , which handles the copyright. The Ministry said it had asked diplomats in Turkey to investigate possible lawsuits which would prevent the book's continued publication. According to Kurt Faltlhauser, Bavarian Finance Minister, “ The state of Bavaria administers the copyright very restrictively to prevent an increase of Nazi ideas .”

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For example, a number of translations have been distributed in Lebanon , a country under Syrian control. The last known edition was issued in 1995. The book was also distributed in the Palestinian Authority-administered territories by Al-Shuruq, an agency operating in Ramallah, and became a best seller in 1999.