Publishing WW2 Diary

[edelweiss123]

Hello all,

Just a quick question. I've recently bought a few diaries and paperwork of a soldier in India and Africa during WW2. I haven't received them yet but should in a few days. I am hoping to do further research into the contents of these diaries.

Where do you stand on copyrights? Am i the legal owner? Would i legally be allowed to scan and then transcribe them as documents onto my computer? If i were to distribute these at a later date for collectors and members of this forum to look at (which i would like to), would i be covered legally or would i be distributing material that isn't mine.

The reason im asking is if these diaries contain interesting information, i wouldnt want them to be locked away in my room. I would rather share the contents with people on here but i dont want to get into trouble?

Any advice is great.

[Jerry B]

If you own the original versions I am fairly certain that you own the copyright to them. They sound good.

[Moshemotom]

I'm not entirely sure on the copyright front but I'm interested to hear what answers you get because I've got access to a similar document. A diary from a soldier who flew in a Catalina until he was shot down and spent several years in a Jap POW camp. Hopefully if the response you get is a positive one, I'll be able to share this with the forum as well!

Tom

[edelweiss123]

Thanks guys, i picked them up as a lot. Included are: RASC Training Book. Diaries and personal notes from Africa and India, early 1940s (6 books).Army cadet paperwork.War office paperwork.India office paperwork.Military passes./.Medical reports dated 1942Personal notes and letters.Memos.RIASC paperwork.Military stores/supplies paperwork.Personal telegrams.Six booklets.Photos. Newspaper cuttings. Eight Indian affairs publications. Dog tag.

Sorry about the long list. If i can legally do it i would love to share them with you. Its a shame to keep items such as this to yourself.

[bigmacglenn]

In a way all you're doing is sharing an item you own, out of your collection...I don't see any issues at all.
cheers, Glenn

[edelweiss123]

In a way all you're doing is sharing an item you own, out of your collection...I don't see any issues at all.
cheers, Glenn

Thats true, and if i watermark all the images it means people cant "acquire" them. I often wonder when you see veterans diaries that have been edited by someone else who owns the copyright? Its like opening a can of worms when money is involved!

[egray]

My lawyer told me that if you own the original, and there was no copyrighting of the document previous to your purchase (or if there was, you'd need to get the rights transferred to you) you're good to go.

[edelweiss123]

Fabm give me a few weeks and i should have some of it to share with you! Lets hope its intertesting...

[StefanM]

It might depend on whether the diaries were bequeathed in a will to an heir who would have inherited the copyright and then sold the diaries onto another party and with it the copyright ownership. Owning an original manuscript does not automatically confer ownership of copyright to the intellectual property therein, the typed or written manuscript and the intellectual rights are legally considered two different things. But I don't think you will have much to worry about in this case....should publication of the diaries become a huge financial success with film rights etc then that is when any legal challenge from some aggrieved heir might be a possibility but again an unlikely scenario on both counts. UK and US copyright laws are different as one would expect

[edelweiss123]

It might depend on whether the diaries were bequeathed in a will to an heir who would have inherited the copyright and then sold the diaries onto another party and with it the copyright ownership. Owning an original manuscript does not automatically confer ownership of copyright to the intellectual property therein, the typed or written manuscript and the intellectual rights are legally considered two different things. But I don't think you will have much to worry about in this case....should publication of the diaries become a huge financial success with film rights etc then that is when any legal challenge from some aggrieved heir might be a possibility but again an unlikely scenario on both counts. UK and US copyright laws are different as one would expect

Thank you! Its all so confusing! The seller says she bought them of someone etc etc...so a hell of a paper trail. Unless i win the lottery and become creative overnight, i see little financial gain in making a film

I just wanted to make sure i could share it without stepping on any legal toes