Der Schutz nachgelassener Werke

§ 71 of the german copyright law (UrhG) contains a related right for previously unpublished works. In 1995 it was adjusted to meet the requirements of Art. 4 of the Council Directive 93/98/EEC of 29 October 1993 harmonizing the term of protection of copyright and certain related rights. Extent and requirements of the new § 71 UrhG are controversially discussed in german legal literature. Eva Langer analyszes those concerns from an international point of view. She uses an interpretation in accordance with the Directive and comparative law to find a new narrow interpretation of § 71 UrhG. This interpretation differs significantly from those of most of the other german authors. It adresses and solves most of the problems seen in § 71 UrhG. Eva Langers interpretation redefines the scope of § 71 UrhG and shows that it has indeed a reasonable purpose.