Ullstein-Verlag drops "Hillbilly-Elegie" from the program
**J.D. Vance's "Hillbilly Elegy" removed from Ullstein-Verlag due to political shift
J.D. Vance's autobiographical book "Hillbilly Elegy," which became a literary hit in Germany and was praised for its description of impoverished white America, will no longer be published by Ullstein-Verlag. According to "Spiegel," the book was previously removed from the publisher's website.
When asked by the magazine why the book was no longer available in German, the publisher explained that they had not renewed the expired licensing agreement. Ullstein had published the book in German since 2017, and the stock had run out. The demand for the book grew significantly in Germany due to Vance's Vice Presidential nomination by Donald Trump.
The publisher cited Vance's political shift as the decisive reason for not renewing the agreement. In their statement to "Spiegel," they said, "At the time of its release, the book provided a valuable contribution to understanding the divide in US society." However, they noted that this had changed significantly. "He now officially acts on Trump's side and promotes an aggressively demagogic, exclusionary politics," the publisher shared.
Small publisher to take over publication
Interested readers in Germany can currently only refer back to the English original version of the book. Those who want to read it in German must be patient, as "Spiegel" reports that YES Publishing has announced it has secured the rights. The new German edition is scheduled for release on August 15. "We bought the book very quickly from the agency in America when we learned that Ullstein had not renewed the rights," said Oliver Kuhn, co-founder of the small publisher, to "Spiegel." However, the book does not yet appear among the upcoming publications on the publisher's website.
Vance's political shift is indeed notable. Eight years ago, he still criticized Donald Trump sharply and even compared him to Adolf Hitler. Over the years, he drew closer to the polarizing and radical Republican. In 2022, Trump supported him in his campaign for the Senatorial seat in the US state of Ohio. Vance holds a more radical stance on abortion rights than Trump himself.
The book trade was significantly impacted by J.D. Vance's political shift, leading to the removal of "Hillbilly Elegy" from Ullstein-Verlag due to his alignment with Donald Trump and his promotion of exclusionary politics. The small publisher, YES Publishing, is set to release a new German edition of the book on August 15, having secured the rights after Ullstein did not renew their agreement.
