Millionaire buys Nazi objects worth $660,000 — just so those items can't be used for propaganda

The rise of Nazism in Germany led to death and destruction on a scale that the world had never seen before, which is why it's important to stay vigilant against such ideologies. As they overran Europe, Nazis also destroyed art and literature. In his attempt to make sure that Nazi propaganda is nipped in the bud, a Lebanese man spent an eye-watering €600,000 ($660,000) at an auction.

Abdallah Chatila, who is one of the 300 wealthiest people in Switzerland, purchased multiple items at the Hermann Historica, a Berlin auction house, including Hitler's top hat, a silver-covered edition of his autobiography "Mein Kampf," a cigar box, and a typewriter. He then announced the items would be donated to the Keren Hayesod Association, an Israeli fundraising group. He originally thought that the items should be burned but now wants them to be preserved in museums. 

"Far-right populism and anti-Semitism are spreading all over Europe and the world," Chatila told the Swiss newspaper Le Matin Dimanche. "I did not want these objects to fall into the wrong hands and to be used by people with dishonest intentions." As per reports, Chatila is worth more than €136 million ($150 million), which makes sense considering the amount that he spent on this. 

Many appreciated the gesture including Rabbi Menachem Margolin, head of the European Jewish Association, who said he was "bowled over" by the gesture. Margolin had previously chastised the auction and claimed that Germany "leads Europe in the sheer volume of reported anti-Semitic incidents." The European Jewish Association also thanked Chatila for his generosity."Thank you Mr. Abdallah Chatila for doing the right and noble thing. Thank you all of you out there that took the time to write, speak and bring the issue to the public," their spokesperson said.

The auction led by the European Jewish Association, was pretty controversial. The chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin wrote letters to the leaders of all German mainstream political parties urging them to stop the sale.

"Selling such items should be no different from selling the personal items belonging to Osama bin Laden, or Anders Breivik. The argument of historical interest is pure semantics," Menachem wrote. However, this was before he understood why Chatila was doing what he was doing. "Such a conscience, such an act of selfless generosity to do something that you feel strongly about, is the equivalent of finding a precious diamond in an Everest of coal. You have set an example for the world to follow when it comes to this macabre and sickening trade in Nazi trinkets," he said.

According to reports the EJA invited 100 members of parliament from across the European Union to Auschwitz, the infamous Nazi concentration camp in Poland at the time. Margolin said that Chatila had accepted his invitation and later attended it as the guest of honor. Chatila said that he simply has no interest in the items. "I have full trust that Keren Hayesod will take the proper decision to handle this donation. I strongly hope that such delicate items will be exhibited in a Holocaust museum that will have a better use than any other entity," Chatila said.