The first reprint of Adolf Hitler's 'Mein Kampf' ('My Struggle') has become a best-seller in Germany, with six further reprints planned for this month.

Around 85,000 copies of the special version of the book, complete with annotated notes by scholars, have been sold since its release one year ago, right after the copyright expired, according to the Institute of Contemporary History of Munich.

Initially, the publisher planned to only print 4,000 copies. However, the respected institute said that far from promoting far-right ideology, the publication had enriched a debate on the renewed rise of "authoritarian political views" in contemporary Western society.

"It turned out that the fear the publication would promote Hitler's ideology or even make it socially acceptable and give neo-Nazis a new propaganda platform was totally unfounded," IfZ director Andreas Wirsching said in a statement.

"To the contrary, the debate about Hitler's worldview and his approach to propaganda offered a chance to look at the causes and consequences of totalitarian ideologies, at a time in which authoritarian political views and rightwing slogans are gaining ground."

Mein Kampf was published in 1925, with Hitler writing the book while imprisoned in Bavaria. 12.4 million copies were published in Germany and from 1936, the Nazi state gave a copy to all newlyweds as a wedding gift.

Following World War II, the book was banned.

The sixth print-run is expected to be in German stores at the end of January.