I'm wondering about the copyright status on Wehrmacht documents such as kriegsstärkenachweisungen (KStN) for example, are those placed firmly in the public domain (as I believe the US equivalents are) or what are their status?
I'd appreciate any help in clearing up my confusion.
/Marcus
Copyright on Wehrmacht documents
.
Hello.
Im not sure if you refer to a original document, or a copy of it.
If you get a copy of a document in a museum or archive you can use it as you want, havent tought of it otherwise, but ill check that out for you tomorow.Most scan and publish it, and as most do refer to the source of the document.
Im not so sure if you make copy a list, or a list that have been used as refererence material as a KStN and then publish it as your own.
Ill be back to you on the Norwegian rules for it, im pretty sure that the rules for the use is more or less unversial.
regards
stril
Im not sure if you refer to a original document, or a copy of it.
If you get a copy of a document in a museum or archive you can use it as you want, havent tought of it otherwise, but ill check that out for you tomorow.Most scan and publish it, and as most do refer to the source of the document.
Im not so sure if you make copy a list, or a list that have been used as refererence material as a KStN and then publish it as your own.
Ill be back to you on the Norwegian rules for it, im pretty sure that the rules for the use is more or less unversial.
regards
stril
.
Hello
It took some more time than i expected.
I have spoken to several that have much to say in such matters, but none(?) could come up with a really good concfirmative answer.
In Norway public papers are public domain, free for all to use as they want, you can do with them as you please.A archive who is run by the goverment or a other public service only keep the papers, they cant claim ownership and restrain the material from public use.(this is not for todays restricted material)
Some records are found in several archives around the world, they all charge for copies, but they cant say that you cant use the copy.
Im sure that some are pissed off by buying are picture from a museum or archive, and found out later that your local library had the same photo, all of them say that the photo is copyrighted by them...
As i see it and as it was said by others, Wehrmacht was a "public" german institution, so all paperwork from them are public domain.In Norway its also referred to foreign official translations, every translated Wehrmacht document/rules/law i find and publish it as i want.
Then over to your question.
A KstN most be like a rule/guidence for the Wehrmacht, made for mass distrubution inside its organization, it was surely not public for all back then, but today its not resticted, its a public paper for your own personal use, and can be dealt with as you like.
I could write lots more of this, but this is the short version.Cant see anything wrong in you using what you have of KStN in any way you like.
regards
stril
It took some more time than i expected.
I have spoken to several that have much to say in such matters, but none(?) could come up with a really good concfirmative answer.
In Norway public papers are public domain, free for all to use as they want, you can do with them as you please.A archive who is run by the goverment or a other public service only keep the papers, they cant claim ownership and restrain the material from public use.(this is not for todays restricted material)
Some records are found in several archives around the world, they all charge for copies, but they cant say that you cant use the copy.
Im sure that some are pissed off by buying are picture from a museum or archive, and found out later that your local library had the same photo, all of them say that the photo is copyrighted by them...
As i see it and as it was said by others, Wehrmacht was a "public" german institution, so all paperwork from them are public domain.In Norway its also referred to foreign official translations, every translated Wehrmacht document/rules/law i find and publish it as i want.
Then over to your question.
A KstN most be like a rule/guidence for the Wehrmacht, made for mass distrubution inside its organization, it was surely not public for all back then, but today its not resticted, its a public paper for your own personal use, and can be dealt with as you like.
I could write lots more of this, but this is the short version.Cant see anything wrong in you using what you have of KStN in any way you like.
regards
stril
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Tom Houlihan
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The information that I read indicated that anything that was published by the US government has NO copyright. Further, I found a clause that talked about other governmental publications in other countries. What I found interesting there was that the only copyright that was respected would be one from a nation that we otherwise had treaties or agreements with.
What I took from that is that if we were at war with Nazi Germany, that pretty much precluded any treaties or agreements, above and beyond the fact that said nation no longer exists.
I've also read here that some of the subordinate governments within Germany hold copyrights to certain things, so I better be careful what I use, eh?
What I took from that is that if we were at war with Nazi Germany, that pretty much precluded any treaties or agreements, above and beyond the fact that said nation no longer exists.
I've also read here that some of the subordinate governments within Germany hold copyrights to certain things, so I better be careful what I use, eh?
copyright...
That sort of answers a question that I had. In an earlier thread I had mentioned that I had some great Berlin maps that the U.S. had copied from prewar German maps. I had thought of reproducing them for sale.Tom wrote:The information that I read indicated that anything that was published by the US government has NO copyright. Further, I found a clause that talked about other governmental publications in other countries. What I found interesting there was that the only copyright that was respected would be one from a nation that we otherwise had treaties or agreements with.
What I took from that is that if we were at war with Nazi Germany, that pretty much precluded any treaties or agreements, above and beyond the fact that said nation no longer exists.
I've also read here that some of the subordinate governments within Germany hold copyrights to certain things, so I better be careful what I use, eh?
Do prewar German copyrights continue even if they are reproductions made by the U.S. government? I don't know much about this but would think not.
(another) Tom
I mean, if the maps were made by a private company (as I'm sure they were) as opposed to the Third Reich government.
Hello.
Copyright on public papers are a difficult matter, you have a legal issue, and outside that,if you accept it there is a moral issue.
If you got hold of a bunch of copies from a museum/library/archive and agree not to publish them, do you do it ? And then go back for more ?
The ones that are the easiest to use to avoid any violation is the massproduced ones as the KStn as mentioned, rulesbooks, laws, regulations etc.
regards
stril
Copyright on public papers are a difficult matter, you have a legal issue, and outside that,if you accept it there is a moral issue.
If you got hold of a bunch of copies from a museum/library/archive and agree not to publish them, do you do it ? And then go back for more ?
The ones that are the easiest to use to avoid any violation is the massproduced ones as the KStn as mentioned, rulesbooks, laws, regulations etc.
regards
stril
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Martin Månsson
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Not really Wehrmacht documents but the numerous SS Dienstalterlisten (SS-DAL) that have been reproduced over the last years, I've not heard one publisher getting problems with copyright questions. Those if any wern't public as far as I know, it's also printed in them "Only for use in service" (Rough translation).
Best
Martin
Best
Martin
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Christian Ankerstjerne
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