Russian Prosecutors Investigate Sale Of Joseph Goebbels' Book

Joseph Goebbels committed suicide in 1945.

The prosecutor's office in St. Petersburg has ordered an investigation into the appearance of a book by Nazi Germany's propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels, in the city's bookstores.

The city prosecutor's spokesman said on August 14 that the investigation was ordered after Russian media reported on the availability of a novel titled "Michael," written by Goebbels in 1923, just before he joined the Nazi Party.

Media reports say the Russian translation of the novel was printed recently by the Moscow-based Algoritm publishing house.

The chairman of Russia's Jewish Congress, Zinovy Kogan, said on August 12 that it was "unacceptable" that the book was published in the country, which had "paid a heavy price to eradicate fascism in Europe."

The Algoritm publishing house has not commented on the matter.

Goebbels committed suicide as World War II ended in 1945.

Based on reporting by Interfax and RIA Novosti