I am trying to acquire permission to reprint excerpts from the
following collections of folk songs in an academic paper:

Reichsjugendführung, ed. Wir Mädel Singen: Liederbuch des Bundes Deutscher
Mädel.  Wolfenbuttel: Kallmeyer, 1939.

Reichsjugendführung, ed. Unser Liederbuch: Lieder der Hitler-Jugend.
Munchen: F. Eher, 1939.

As you can see, both collections were originally published by the
Reich Youth Leadership.  The publishing houses that printed these
texts are now defunct.  However, I understand that when a press goes
defunct the rights to their previously published works are sold to
another press.  I need the name/s of the press/es or publisher/s that
currently hold the rights to these editions as well as their mailing
address, email address and phone number.  The name of the person who
handles requests for reprints would also be helpful.

FYI - Many songbooks titled "Unser Liederbuch" have been published in
Germany during the past century.  I am looking specifically for the
publisher who owns rights to the 1939 edition.  If you are able to
locate a publisher, please make sure they own the rights to the
correct edition and not an earlier or later one.  (The pre and post
war editions contain different material.)

If you need any further information, please let me know.  Thank you so much!

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Request for Question Clarification by scriptor-ga on 30 Jun 2006 19:42 PDT

That is a highly interesting question because of the historical
aspects involved. Contrary to popular belief, publications
commissioned by Nazi organizations did not become works of public
domain after the end of the Third Reich (the rights in Hitler's "Mein
Kampf", for example, are owned by the State of Bavaria today).
Therefore, it's quite probable that the two songbooks are still
protected property of someone, as you assume.

I can't promise that I will be successful, but I'll try to find out
who might be the current owner of the rights.

Regards,
Scriptor

---

Request for Question Clarification by scriptor-ga on 01 Jul 2006 11:26 PDT

I have done some research, and here is the first result: The Kallmeyer
publishing house is not defunct - it still exists, albeit under a
different name since it was acquired by a new owner after the war; for
several, the new name still had the extension "formerly Georg
Kallmeyer Verlag". So the current publishing house should own the
rights in the songbook or at least know who owns the rights.

I'm now doing research concerning the second book.

Greetings,
Scriptor

Dear danacgm,

Here is the answer to your question!


-- "Wir Mädel singen: Liederbuch des Bundes Deutscher Mädel" --

The songbook was published by the Georg Kallmeyer Verlag in
Wolfenbüttel. That publishing house still exists, now as "Möseler
Verlag" since Karl-Heinz Möseler took over the company in 1947. It's a
relatively small publishing house with no specialized department
handling reprint inquiries. Here is contact information:

Moeseler Verlag
Hoffmann-von-Fallersleben-Str. 8
38304 Wolfenbüttel
Germany
--
Phone: +49 - (0)5331 - 95970
Fax: +49 - (0)5331 - 959720
E-Mail: info@moeseler-verlag.de
Website: http://www.moeseler-verlag.de/



-- "Unser Liederbuch: Lieder der Hitler-Jugend" --

This songbook was published by the Franz-Eher-Verlag in Munich. That
was no ordinary publisher: Actually, the Eher-Verlag was the central
publishing house of the National Socialist party, and it was property
of the Nazi party since 1920.

Being a Nazi organization, the publishing house was declared illegal
and dissolved in 1945 by order of the Allied Control Council, the
copyrights were confiscated. The State of Bavaria was declared its
legal successor and inherited the rights in intellectual property
formerly owned by the Eher-Verlag. Among these were the rights in
Hitler's "Mein Kampf", but also the copyright in all other works
published by Eher.

The Bavarian authority holding all rights in the works of the
dissolved Eher-Verlag is the Staatsministerium der Finanzen (State
Ministry of Finance). So if you'd like to inquire whether you can
obtain the rights to reprint the songbook, please refer to:

Bayerisches Staatsministerium der Finanzen	
Odeonsplatz 4
80539 München
Germany
--
Phone: +49(0)89-2306-0
Fax: +49(0)89-2306-2808
E-Mail: poststelle@stmf.bayern.de
Website: http://www.stmf.bayern.de/


I hope that this will be helpful!
Best regards,
Scriptor



Sources:

Möseler Verlag: Company History since 1921 (in German)
http://www.moeseler-verlag.de/pages/history.html

Wikipedia: Franz-Eher-Verlag (in German)
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz-Eher-Verlag

Wow Scriptor!  Once again I am amazed.  I just don't know where I
would be without all of your help on this article.  You are truly a
gem.  I look forward to more of your help in the future.  Thanks
again!

I might suggest that in your request you list specifically the songs
that you wish to excerpt from the books.  Some may be innocuous texts
that would be readily approved for inclusion in an academic paper. 
Others  - especially the "Horst Wessel Lied" (aka "Die Fahne hoch"),
which is still prohibited in Germany -  may be more problematic. 
Germany perceives a problem with neo-nazi websites and publishers in
USA.

Thanks myoarin!

I took your advice! ;0