Al Nida (newspaper) explained

Type:Daily newspaper
Owners:Kazem Al Solh
Founder:Kazem Al Solh
Chiefeditor:Kazem Al Solh
Foundation:1930
Political:Arab nationalism
Ceased Publication:1940
Headquarters:Beirut
Publishing Country:Lebanon

Al Nida (Arabic: النداء||The Appeal) was a daily newspaper which was published in Beirut, Lebanon, in the period 1930–1940. The paper also had a French language edition. It is known for being one of the first Arabic newspapers which featured translations of Adolf Hitler's book Mein Kampf.

History and profile

Al Nida was established by Kazem Al Solh in Beirut in 1930.[1] He also owned and edited the paper which ceased publication in 1940.[1] It was published daily in Arabic,[2] but also had a French edition.[1] The paper was consisted of eight pages.[2]

Al Nida had an Arab nationalist political stance.[3] [4] Although the daily was based in Beirut, most of its readers were in Damascus, Palestine, Transjordan and Iraq.[2] From January 1934 Arabic translations of Adolf Hitler's book Mein Kampf were published in Al Nida.[3] It was translated into Arabic by Kamel Mrowa, an editor of the paper.[5] The publication of these texts led to criticisms in the country.[3] In response Kazem Al Solh published an editorial to explain his position in regard to the Hitler's ideology stating that he did not support Hitler's race-based theories.[3] On the other hand, Al Solh was a supporter of Hitler’s strategy to revitalize and preserve his nation and national identity.[3] [6] The paper also covered other anti-Semitic materials.[7] During its existence Al Nida was banned several times.[2]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kazem el-Solh. 1904 - 1976. El Solh official website. 14 April 2021. 15 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210414191602/http://el-solh.com/timelines/kazem-el-solh/.
  2. Stefan Wild. 1985. National Socialism in the Arab near East between 1933 and 1939. Die Welt des Islams. 25. 1–4. 147–148. 10.2307/1571079. 1571079.
  3. Book: Götz Nordbruch. 38–39. Arab Responses to Fascism and Nazism: Attraction and Repulsion. 2014. Israel Gershoni. Austin, TX. University of Texas Press. https://doi.org/10.7560/757455. 978-1477307571. 10.7560/757455. A Challenge to the Local Order: Reactions to Nazism in the Syrian and Lebanese Press.
  4. Book: Raghid K. El-Solh. Christoph Schumann. Christoph Schumann. Liberal Thought in the Eastern Mediterranean Late 19th Century until the 1960s. 2008. Brill. Leiden. 978-90-47-44224-0. 230. 104. https://doi.org/10.1163/ej.9789004165489.i-335.71. Lebanese Arab Nationalists And Consociational Democracy During The French Mandate Period. 10.1163/ej.9789004165489.i-335.71 .
  5. Wolfgang G. Schwanitz. Book review. Nazism in Syria and Lebanon. The Ambivalence of the German Option, 1933–1945 by Götz Nordbruch. Jewish Political Studies Review. Fall 2009. 21. 3–4. 193–196. 25834858. Wolfgang G. Schwanitz.
  6. Sana Tannoury-Karam. This War is Our War: Antifascism among Lebanese Leftist Intellectuals. Journal of World History. September 2019. 30. 3. 418. 10.1353/jwh.2019.0059. 208811735.
  7. Guy Bracha. 'The Germans Are Coming!' The Jewish Community of Beirut Facing the Question of Jewish Immigration from Germany. Leo Baeck Institute Year Book. 2016. 61. 1. 48. 10.1093/leobaeck/ybw005.