| Author(s) | Friedrich Engels |
|---|---|
| Written | 20 July 1893 |
ENGELS TO FILIPPO TURATI
IN MILAN
London, 20 July 1893
Dear citizen Turati,
I hasten to reply to your letter of 17th, which I received yesterday evening. Mme Marx-Aveling is executor under Marx's will; as for the literary part of the inheritance, I am responsible. Neither of us has ever heard talk of any Unione tipografica-editrice of Turin, and even less have we ever sold to this society 'property rights for the works of Marx' which (fortunately) belong to us entirely to this day. Not a single soldo of money from this Union has ever touched our hands.
As regards the 1st volume of Capital, these property rights include the German and French editions. In accord with the relevant international treaties, everyone is now free to do any translations; we cannot oppose this. If anyone asks for our authorisation, this is a purely voluntary act on their part.
It is not altogether impossible that the Union has entered into some kind of contract with the editor of the French edition, M. Lachâtre, but it is highly unlikely. I know nothing of it. However, even if this is the case, M. Lachâtre could only sell that which is his property, and at the very most that was the French edition. Thus the Union could do no more than oppose an Italian translation from the French.
However, now the book by Deville has been published and is freely circulating in France. If in France no one has attempted to bring a charge of infringement of copyright against this book, then there is even less chance of anyone trying something of the kind.
Thus it is ridiculous, unless the legislation in Italy is wholly out of line. However, as the Code Napoléon has served as the basis for civil legislation in almost the whole of Western Europe, I do not think I am mistaken to see the case from this point of view.
What is amusing is the affrontery of these gentlemen: 'we purchased from the heirs to this property, etc' Clearly they have succeeded in this on other occasions.
As for Zurich, the situation is still as it was when I last wrote to you[1] ; let us all hope for the best!
Greetings to Mme Anna and yourself from Mme Kautsky and from yours truly,
F. Engels