A Goodreads user
asked
Yuri Machkasov:
We came upon your translation of the play "Dragon" by Eugene Schwarz online. We are looking into doing a translation to Spanish to put the play on in Mexico, where we are from. We are unable to translate the original play since none of us speak Russian. We would like to know if you hold the rights for this translation and/or if you have any information regarding who holds the rights to be able to stage it?
Yuri Machkasov
The situation with copyrights on Soviet-era works is very muddled. Before USSR joined the Geneva treaty in 1973, the term was life of the author + 15 years; Schwarz died in 1957, so in 1972 his works passed into the public domain. Some argue that accession to Geneva swept everything into its terms; others - that it doesn't apply to what has already been free. There are any number of persons and organizations claiming to be lawful representatives of dead Soviet writers, and trying to extract royalties (with some success, but not always). I can probably put you in touch with Russian publishers who put out Schwarz's books in Russian; they should have someone on staff who at least speaks English, if not Spanish, but bear in mind that their claims of having the rights may turn out to be mistaken.
Sorry I couldn't be of more help.
Sorry I couldn't be of more help.
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