Rescript on Post-Publication Censorship, Copenhagen (1773)

Source: Kongelige Rescripter, Resolutioner og Collegialbreve for Danmark og Norge, 6:1: 1766-1776, Gyldendal, 1786.

Citation:
Rescript on Post-Publication Censorship, Copenhagen (1773), Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org

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Record-ID: sc_1773

Permanent link: https://copyrighthistory.org/cam/tools/request/showRecord.php?id=record_sc_1773

Full title:
Rescript, that nothing concerning the state and government, public measures, writings concerning physical confrontation, especially when a person has been assaulted, town rumours and other indecent stories may be printed in the weekly papers.

Full title original language:
Rescr., ang. at i Ugebladene ikke maae indføres noget, som angaaer Staten og Regjeringen, almindelige foranstaltninger, Stridsskrivter, især hvor Personer der ved ved angribes, Bye-Rygter og uanstændige Fortællinger.

Abstract:
Danish and Norwegian legislation concerning censorship and print changed dramatically in the years between 1770 and 1773, following three distinct royal orders issued during and shortly after the German physician Johann Friedrich Struensee’s time in power at the Danish court. The Order of 14 September 1770 abolished, with one swift stroke, the old system of pre-publication censorship by expert readers, and set in motion the world’s most radical experiment in press freedom. Soon, however, Struensee discovered that this experiment was not to his advantage and on 7 October 1771 another royal order restricted press freedom, emphasizing that authors needed to stay within the bounds of law and clamping down on the use of anonymity. Still, conditions continued to be favorable for both authors and printers until Struensee’s downfall in January 1772 and the ensuing reaction. In a third royal order, on 20 October 1773, a new regime of post-publication censorship was put in place, which, combined with a deterring show trial, put an end to the press freedom experiment in Denmark-Norway.

1 Commentary:
commentary_sc_1773

Bibliography:
N/A

Related documents in this database:
1773: Rescript on Post-Publication Censorship

Author: Christian VII

Publisher: Gyldendal

Year: 1773

Location: Copenhagen

Language: Danish

Source: Kongelige Rescripter, Resolutioner og Collegialbreve for Danmark og Norge, 6:1: 1766-1776, Gyldendal, 1786.

Persons referred to:
N/A

Places referred to:
Copenhagen

Cases referred to:
N/A

Institutions referred to:
N/A

Legislation:
Ordinance of December 1743

Keywords:
censorship
censorship, pre-publication
defamation
enlightenment, the
immoral works
newspapers
penalties
privileges, printing
reputation

Responsible editor: Marius Buning & Magne Klasson

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