# Primary Sources on Copyright - Record Viewer
Copyright Act for the German Empire, Berlin (1870)

Source: Max-Planck-Institut für Europäische Rechtsgeschichte, Frankfurt

Citation:
Copyright Act for the German Empire, Berlin (1870), Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org

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339

FEDERAL LAW GAZETTE

of the

NORTH GERMAN CONFEDERATION
__________________________
Nr. 19.
__________________________

(Nr.506) Statute concerning author's rights to literary works, illustrations,
musical compositions and dramatic works. Enacted on 11 June 1870.

WE, WILHELM, by the Grace of God King of Prussia etc.,

decree in the name of the North German Confederation, and with the approval
of the Bundesrat and the Reichstag, the following:

I. Literary works
a. Exclusive right of the author.

§. 1

      The right to reproduce a literary work by mechanical means is vested
exclusively in the author of the work.

§. 2

      The editor of a work which consists of contributions by a number of
people is treated, with regard to the protection granted by the present
law, as equivalent to the author, as long as this work constitutes a
uniform whole.
      The author's right to these individual contributions is vested in
the respective authors of these.

§. 3

      The author's right passes to his heirs. This right can, either
conditionally or unconditionally, by contract or by testamentary disposal,
be transferred to other persons.

b. Prohibition of reprinting

§. 4

      Any mechanical reproduction of a literary work which is carried out

    


339

BUNDES-GESETZBLATT

des

NORDDEUTSCHEN BUNDES
____________________
Nr. 19.
____________________

(Nr. 506.) Gesetz, betreffend das Urheberrecht an Schriftwerken, Abbildungen,
musikalischen Kompositionen und dramatischen Werken. Vom 11. Juni 1870.

WIR WILHELM, von Gottes Gnaden König von Preußen etc.

verordnen im Namen des Norddeutschen Bundes, nach erfolgter Zustimmung
des Bundesraths und des Reichstages, was folgt:

I. Schriftstücke.
a. Ausschließliches Recht des Urhebers.


§. 1.

      Das Recht, ein Schriftwerk auf mechanischem Wege zu vervielfältigen,
steht dem Urheber desselben ausschließlich zu.

§.2.

      Dem Urheber wird in Beziehung auf den durch das gegenwärtige Gesetz
gewährten Schutz der Herausgeber eines aus Beiträgen Mehrerer bestehenden
Werkes gleich geachtet, wenn dieses ein einheitliches Ganzes bildet. Das
Urheberrecht an den einzelnen Beiträgen steht den Urhebern derselben zu.

§ 3.

      Das Recht des Urhebers geht auf dessen Erben über. Dieses Recht kann
beschränkt oder unbeschränkt durch Vertrag oder durch Verfügung von
Todeswegen auf Andere übertragen werden.

b. Verbot des Nachdrucks.

§. 4.

      Jede mechanische Vervielfältigung eines Schriftwerkes, welche ohne
Genehmigung

    

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