Author talk:Albert Einstein

French translation copyright
I'd like to add the french version of Einstein's book Relativity: The Special and General Theory: La théorie de la relativité réstreinte et générale. My question is : do Einstein's works belong to the Public domain (he died in 1955) and if they do, can I use a copyrighted translation into french (1923, Gauthier-Villars)?

Thank you

--Fageer 22:01, 28 Feb 2005 (UTC)


 * I don't know if Einstein's works belong to the Public domain, but I am very interested in french versions of his publications. —unsigned by 10:14, 12 April 2005 81.67.154.203.


 * The french version would belong on the French Wikisource, and the copyright of the french translation is separate from the copyright of the original. You will need to provide the publishing details of the    translation in order for anyone to give a proper answer on its copyright.  The earliest editions that I can see on WorldCat are published in 1956. John Vandenberg 05:29, 2 September 2007 (UTC)

Copyright status of Relativity: The Special and General Theory
I think the copyright situation of Einstein needs some clarification :

Is Relativity: The Special and General Theory (of which I have a french and hesitate to upload it) already in the public domain?

As far as I know, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem holds the copyright on Einstein's works. Have they approved the publication (as it is stated here) of Relativity: The Special and General Theory, and if yes, why is there no mention of copyright, as Einstein died in 1955, only 50 (and not 70) years ago.

Can anybody explain the legal situation of Einstein's works and Relativity: The Special and General Theory in particular. --Fageer 13:54, 17 Apr 2005 (UTC)

Possible public domain works
Many works here:, but most claim copyright.

Einstein's First Scientific Essay (1895, unpublished)

"ALBIN HERZOG TO GUSTAV MAIER" and "ENTRANCE REPORT OF THE GEWERBESCHULE, AARGAU KANTONSSCHULE " [lorentz.phl.jhu.edu/AnnusMirabilis/AeReserveArticles/maja.pdf]

ON THE ELECTRODYNAMICS OF MOVING BODIES : this site claims that this is in the PD but I havent been able to determine why, as the translation is from 1923.

"Einstein's Theory of Relativity" by Author:Max Born and ; other sources say it was published in 1923 and 1924.

John Vandenberg 05:51, 2 September 2007 (UTC)