| Author(s) | Friedrich Engels |
|---|---|
| Written | 20 May 1894 |
ENGELS TO BORIS KRICHEVSKY
IN WEGGIS
[Draft]
[London,] 20 May 1894
Dear Sir,
I note from your letter of the 10th inst. that you have made and already sent to the printers a Russian translation of my works on Russia which recently appeared in Berlin, just as you did previously in the case of other writings by Marx and myself.[1]
I must needs draw your attention to the fact that, in accordance with the Berne Convention[2] Introduction to Wage Labour and Capital by Marx (1891) as well as the above-mentioned works are my literary property and that translations of them into foreign languages may not be published in the countries of the Union without my permission. Even though the matter of fees may play only a subordinate or no role at all in cases such as these, or where genuine party undertakings are concerned, I am nevertheless obliged to assert my rights in the interests of the cause, for otherwise it would mean my assuming joint responsibility for the publication of translations by unqualified or otherwise incompetent persons. And since I have already committed myself to a third party, I am under a twofold obligation.
So far as I am aware, it has hitherto been customary in the party, even in the case of translations of works unprotected by the Berne Convention, to show consideration for the writer by applying to him for authorisation.
When, however, a work falls within the terms of the Berne Convention, this is not simply a polite formality but the translator's bounden duty. You have chosen to ignore this. I hereby protest against your conduct and reserve all my rights.
My objection to the publication of an unauthorised Russian translation of my works on Russia from Internationales aus dem 'Volksstaat' is all the greater in that I have already made over the translation rights in the Russian language for these and other works, namely to Mrs Vera Zasulich.
This disposes once and for all with your inquiry regarding my preface.
Yours very truly