The IPKat's friend Janice Trebble wonders whether the collective wisdom of the IPKat's readers is as good as legend has it. She writes: "I am researching the matter of post mortem personality rights. I am aware that in Germany there was a decision a couple of years ago about MARLENE DIETRICH which has effectively put a ten year limit on personality rights after the death of a celebrity. I am trying to find out how this is dealt with in other countries.The IPKat says, if you can assist, please email Janice here. Since there's a holiday weekend approaching, sooner rather than later would be hugely appreciated.
I’d be grateful for any help that the IPKat's readers can give. I regret that there is some time pressure on this".
More on Marlene Dietrich here
See also Guido Westkamp (Queen Mary, University of London, UK), "Post-mortem protection and domain name use", [2007] JIPLP 720, a note on In Re Kinski-Klaus.de, German Federal Court of Justice (BGH), I ZR 277/03, 5 October 2006 ("Personality rights cannot be exercised, as far as a commercial exploitation of a person's name is concerned, after 10 years from the death of the person").
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