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Renewed criticism against publication of 'Anne Frank's Diary': 'Illegal'
🇸🇪 Sweden /Culture & Society

Renewed criticism against publication of 'Anne Frank's Diary': 'Illegal'

From Dagens Nyheter · () Swedish

Translated from Swedish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • Anne Frank Fonds, the rights holder, has declared Modernista's new edition of "Anne Frank's Diary" illegal.
  • The publisher, Modernista, is releasing an abridged version, a move previously criticized by publisher Svante Weyler.
  • Anne Frank Fonds stated that Modernista lacks a license for the book, and legal action is being considered.

The rights holder for "Anne Frank's Diary," Anne Frank Fonds, has declared the new edition published by Modernista to be illegal. The Swiss-based foundation informed SVT's Kulturnyheterna that the Swedish publisher has not obtained the necessary license to release the book.

Modernista is publishing an abridged version of the diary, a version that was first released in Sweden in 1953 with parts removed by Anne Frank's father, Otto Frank, who deemed them too private. Publisher Svante Weyler had previously criticized this shortened edition, urging Swedish booksellers to boycott it.

Anne Frank Fonds is now considering legal action against Modernista. The foundation's stance is that without a proper license, the publication is unlawful. This development could impact Bokusgruppen, which owns the Akademibokhandeln chain, potentially leading them to reconsider their decision to stock the new edition.

The publisher does not have a license for the book and therefore the publication is illegal.

— Anne Frank FondsStating the legal basis for their claim against Modernista's publication of 'Anne Frank's Diary'.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dagens Nyheter in Swedish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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