2020 in public domain
Overview of works entering public domain
When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain . The following is a list of creators whose works entered the public domain in 2020. Since laws vary globally , the copyright status of some works is not uniform.
Entering the public domain in countries with life + 70 years
With the exception of Belarus (Life + 50 years) and Spain (which has a copyright term of Life + 80 years for creators that died before 1987), a work enters the public domain in Europe at the end of the calendar year following 70 years after the creator's death, if it was published during the creator's lifetime. Russia has a 4-year extension to Life+ 70 (in essence Life+74) for authors who worked during World War II in the Soviet Union.[ 1] [ 2] The list is sorted alphabetically and includes a notable work of the creator that entered the public domain on January 1, 2020.
Names
Country
Birth
Death
Occupation
Notable work
James Truslow Adams
United States
18 October 1878
18 May 1949
Writer
The March of Democracy
Virginia M. Alexander
United States
1900
1949
Physician
Publications
Hervey Allen
United States
8 December 1889
28 December 1949
Author
Anthony Adverse
Masaharu Anesaki
Japan
25 July 1873
23 July 1949
Historian
History of Japanese Religion
Mary Antin
United States
13 June 1881
15 May 1949
Writer
The Promised Land
Josef Maria Auchentaller
Austria
2 August 1865
31 December 1949
Artist
Bunte Bände
Alice Bailey
United States
16 June 1880
15 December 1949
Writer
Works
Rodolfo Garcia (pt )
Brazil
25 May 1873
14 November 1949
Historian
Hassan al-Banna
Egypt
14 October 1906
12 February 1949
imam
Mudhakkirât al-da'wa wa al-dâ'iya
Philip Barry
United States
18 June 1896
3 December 1949
Playwright
Holiday
Billy Baskette
United States
20 October 1884
8 November 1949
Pianist, composer
Good Bye Broadway, Hello France
Rex Beach
United States
1 September 1877
7 December 1949
Writer, Olympic athlete
The Spoilers
H. Bedford-Jones
United States
29 April 1887
6 May 1949
Writer
The John Solomon series
Khalil Beidas
Palestine
1874
1949
novelist
Works
Federico Beltrán Masses
Spain
8 September 1885
4 October 1949
Painter
Friedrich Bergius
Germany
11 October 1884
30 March 1949
Chemist
Bergius process
Elsa Bernstein
Austria
28 October 1866
2 July 1949
Writer
Königskinder
Musa Bigiev
Russia
25 December 1873 (O. S. )
28 October 1949
Theologian
Selected works
Elisheva Bikhovski
Israel
20 September 1888
27 March 1949
Writer, Translator
Simta'ot
Henriëtte Blaauw [nl ]
Netherlands
5 February 1875
15 February 1949
Writer
Gustavus M. Blech
United States
28 November 1870
9 August 1949
Physician
Practical Suggestions in Borderland Surgery
Leonard Bloomfield
United States
1 April 1887
18 April 1949
Linguist
Selected publications
George Botsford
United States
24 February 1874
1 February 1949
Composer
Robert Boudrioz
France
12 February 1887
22 June 1949
Film director, screenwriter
The Man with a Broken Ear
Umberto Brunelleschi
Italy
21 June 1879
16 February 1949
Artist, Illustrator
Guillermo Buitrago
Colombia
1 April 1920
19 April 1949
Composer
La Vispera de Año Nuevo
Harry Burleigh
United States
2 December 1866
12 September 1949
Composer, singer
settings of spirituals
Helen Churchill Candee
United States
5 October 1858
23 August 1949
Writer, feminist
Angkor the Magnificent
Reg Carter
United Kingdom
6 December 1886
24 April 1949
Cartoonist
Big Eggo
N. D. Cocea
Romania
29 November 1880
1 February 1949
Journalist, Novelist
Vinul de viață lungă
Richard Connell
United States
17 October 1893
22 November 1949
Writer
The Most Dangerous Game
Carlo Conti Rossini
Italy
1872
1949
Orientalist
Italia ed Etiopia dal trattato di Uccialli alla battaglia d'Adua
Dorothea Conyers
Ireland
11 November 1869
25 May 1949
Novelist
Will Cuppy
United States
23 August 1884
19 September 1949
Humorist
How to be a Hermit
Stoyan Danev
Bulgaria
28 January 1858
30 July 1949
Jurist and politician
Norman Davey
United Kingdom
5 May 1888
6 June 1949
Engineer, Writer
The Pilgrim of a Smile
Edgar De Lange
United States
12 January 1904
13 July 1949
Composer
Félix d'Herelle
France
25 April 1873
22 February 1949
Microbiologist
Published works
Georgi Dimitrov
Bulgaria
18 June 1882
2 July 1949
Politician, revolutionary
Georgi Dimitrov bibliography
Grigoraș Dinicu
Romania
3 April 1889
28 March 1949
Composer
Hora staccato
Ali Douagi
Tunisia
4 January 1909
27 May 1949
sketch artist
Sahirtu minhu al-layali
Alexander Drankov
Russia Soviet Union
18 January 1886
3 January 1949
photographer, cameraman, film producer
William Price Drury
United Kingdom
8 November 1861
21 January 1949
Writer, soldier, politician
The Flag Lieutenant
Inés Echeverría Bello
Chile
1868
1949
Writer
Entre Deux Mondes
Arthur Eichengrün
Germany
13 August 1867
23 December 1949
Chemist
50 Jahre Aspirin
Emil Elenius [fi ]
Finland
16 September 1877
1 March 1949
novelist
Silkkilaiva
James Ensor
Belgium
13 April 1860
19 November 1949
Artist
Christ's Entry Into Brussels in 1889
Herbert Eulenberg
Germany
25 January 1876
4 September 1949
Writer
Schattenbilder. Eine Fibel für Kulturbedürftige in Deutschland
August Fischer
Germany
14 February 1865
14 February 1949
Orientalist
Arabische Chrestomathie aus Prosaschriftstellern
Victor Fleming
United States
23 February 1889
6 January 1949
Film Director
The Wizard of Oz , Gone with the Wind
James Forrestal
United States
15 February 1892
22 May 1949
Politician
The Forrestal Diaries
Nikolay Gamaleya
Russia
17 February 1859
29 March 1949
Physician, microbiologist
Henri Giraud
France
18 January 1879
11 March 1949
General
Mes Evasions, Un seul but; la victoire: Alger 1942-1944
Mikhail Golodny [ru ]
Russia
11 December 1903
20 January 1949
Poet
Song about Shchors
Ángel González Palencia [es ]
Spain
4 September 1889
30 October 1949
Orientalist
El amor entre los musulmanes españoles, El tesoro de los Nazaríes
Hari Singh Gour
India
26 November 1870
25 December 1949
Jurist, educator, writer
The Penal Law of India
Martin Grabmann
Germany
5 January 1875
9 January 1949
Priest, Historian
Thomas Aquinas: His Personality and Thought
Stanisław Grabski
Poland
5 April 1871
6 May 1949
Economist, Politician
Major Greenwood
United Kingdom
9 August 1880
5 October 1949
Epidemiologist
Publications
Joan Lamote de Grignon
Spain
7 July 1872
11 March 1949
Composer
La nit de Nadal
George Gurdjieff
Armenia
13 January 1866
29 October 1949
spiritual teacher
The Herald of Coming Good
František Halas
Czech Republic
3 October 1901
27 October 1949
Poet, translator
Fritz Hart
United Kingdom
11 February 1874
9 July 1949
Composer, conductor
Syed Zafarul Hasan
Pakistan
14 February 1885
19 June 1949
Philosopher
Realism
Kunihiko Hashimoto
Japan
14 September 1904
6 May 1949
Composer
Azami no Hana
Will Hay
United Kingdom
6 December 1888
18 April 1949
Comedian, amateur astronomer
Through My Telescope
Burton J. Hendrick
United States
8 December 1870
23 March 1949
Author
The Life and Letters of Walter H. Page
Johann Jakob Hess
Germany
11 January 1866
29 April 1949
Egyptologist
Von den Beduinen des inneren Arabiens
Ludwig Hohlwein
Germany
27 July 1874
15 September 1949
Poster artist
William Jackson Humphreys
United States
3 February 1862
10 November 1949
physicist
Bibliography
Otto Hupp
Germany
21 May 1859
31 January 1949
graphical artist
Wappen und Siegel der deutschen Städte, Flecken und Dörfer
Douglas Hyde
Ireland
17 January 1860
12 July 1949
linguist
The necessity for de-anglicising the Irish nation
Edmond Jaloux
France
19 June 1878
22 August 1949
Novelist
Works
Josep Maria Jujol
Spain
16 September 1879
1 May 1949
Architect
Casa Batlló , Park Güell
Oskar Jellinek [de ]
Austria
22 January 1886
12 October 1949
Writer
Die Mutter der Neun
Clarence Jones
United States
1889
1 June 1949
Composer
Pierre Jouguet
France
14 May 1869
9 July 1949
Egyptologist
Works
Unno Juza
Japan
26 December 1897
17 May 1949
Writer of science fiction
Anna Karima
Bulgaria
1871
6 March 1949
Writer and translator
Selâhattin Kantar
Turkey
1878
17 November 1949
playwright
Kara Dana
Hans Kindler
United States
8 January 1892
30 August 1949
Conductor, cellist, arranger of music
Recordings
Hugh Kingsmill
United Kingdom
21 November 1889
15 May 1949
Writer, journalist
Martin Knudsen
Denmark
15 February 1871
27 May 1949
Physicist
The Kinetic Theory of Gases
József Koszta
Hungary
27 March 1861
29 July 1949
Painter
Girl with Geraniums
Fritz Krischen
Germany
26 December 1881
15 July 1949
Archaeologist, Architect
Die Stadtmauern von Pompeji und griechische Festungsbaukunst in Unteritalien und Sizilien
August Krogh
Denmark
15 November 1874
13 September 1949
Zoologist
The Respiratory Exchange of Animals and Man
Albert Christian Kruyt
Netherlands
10 October 1869
19 January 1949
Ethnographer
The Bare'e speaking Toraja of Central Sulawesi
Lead Belly
United States
20 January 1888
6 December 1949
Musician, songwriter
Goodnight, Irene
Vasily Lebedev-Kumach
Russia
5 August 1898
20 February 1949
Poet
The Sacred War
Fidelio Ponce de León
Cuba
24 January 1895
19 February 1949
Painter
Niňos
Ernst Lommatzsch
Germany
18 August 1871
5 April 1949
Classical scholar
Corpus inscriptionum latinarum: Vol. 1. Inscriptiones Latinae antiquissimae
Albert Howe Lybyer
United States
1876
1949
orientalist
The Government of the Ottoman Empire in the Time of Suleiman the Magnificent
Carmen Lyra
Costa Rica
1888
13 May 1949
Writer
Cuentos De Mi Tia Panchita
Antonio Machado
Spain
26 July 1875
22 February 1939
Poet
Works
Maurice Maeterlinck
Belgium
29 August 1862
6 May 1949
Playwright
Works
René Maire
France
29 May 1878
24 November 1949
botanist
Flore de l'Afrique du Nord
Jane Mander
New Zealand
9 April 1877
20 December 1949
Novelist
The Story of a New Zealand River
Klaus Mann
Germany
18 November 1906
21 May 1949
Novelist
Mephisto
J. C. Mardrus
France
1868
1949
Orientalist
Works
Paul Marc
Germany
23 December 1877
23 September 1949
Byzantine scholar
Die hellenistisch-jüdische Literatur
Wilhelm von Massow
Germany
12 March 1891
21 April 1949
Archaeologist
Das römische Trier
Elton Mayo
Australia
26 December 1880
7 September 1949
Psychologist
Publications
Ibrahim al-Mazini
Egypt
19 August 1889
1949
Writer
Spider Webs
Stefan Meyer
Austria
27 April 1872
29 December 1949
Physicist
Radioaktivität
Margaret Mitchell
United States
8 November 1900
16 August 1949
Novelist
Gone with the Wind
Axel Munthe
Sweden
31 October 1857
11 February 1949
Psychiatrist
The Story of San Michele
Khalil Mutran
Lebanon
1 July 1872
1 June 1949
poet
Sarojini Naidu
India
13 February 1879
2 March 1949
Poet
Works
Vladimir Nazor
Croatia
30 May 1876
19 June 1949
Poet, politician
Makino Nobuaki
Japan
24 November 1861
25 January 1949
Statesman
Makino Nobuaki nikki
Vítězslav Novák
Czech Republic
5 December 1870
18 July 1949
Composer
Bouře
Carlos Obligado
Argentina
21 May 1889
3 February 1949
Writer, critic
March of the Malvinas
Sidney Olcott
Canada
20 September 1872
16 December 1949
Film director
The Pony Express
Francesco Pasinetti
Italy
1 June 1911
2 April 1949
Film Director, screenwriter
The Canal of the Angels
Elin Pelin
Bulgaria
8 July 1877
3 December 1949
Writer
Una Pope-Hennessy
United Kingdom
21 April 1875
16 August 1949
Historian
Secret Societies and the French Revolution
Camillo Praschniker
Austria
13 October 1884
1 October 1949
Archaeologist
Archäologische Forschungen in Albanien und Montenegro
Guillermo Tell Villegas Pulido
Venezuela
28 July 1854
25 July 1949
politician
Works
Alfred Rehder
United States
4 September 1863
25 July 1949
Botanist
Manual of Cultivated Trees and Shrubs, Hardy in North America
Albert Rehm
Germany
15 June 1871
31 July 1949
Classical scholar
Mythographische Untersuchungen über griechische Sternsagen
Gennaro Righelli
Italy
12 December 1886
6 January 1949
Film director, screenwriter
Svengali
Tod Robbins
United States
1888
1949
writer
Works
Julius Ruska
Germany
9 February 1867
11 February 1949
Orientalist
Al Razi (Rhases) als Chemiker
Antoun Saadeh
Lebanon
1 March 1904
8 July 1949
Politician
Nushu' al-Umam
E. Robert Schmitz
France
8 February 1889
5 September 1949
Composer
The Piano works of Claude Debussy
Paul Schultze-Naumburg
Germany
10 June 1869
19 May 1949
Architect
Die Kunst der Deutschen. Ihr Wesen und ihre Werke
Alexey Shchusev
Russia
8 October 1873
24 May 1949
Architect
Lenin's Mausoleum
Nikos Skalkottas
Greece
21 March 1904
19 September 1949
Composer
List of compositions by Nikos Skalkottas
G. E. M. Skues
United Kingdom
13 August 1858
9 August 1949
Writer, fly fisherman
The Way of a Trout with the Fly
Frank Smythe
United Kingdom
6 July 1900
27 June 1949
Mountaineer, author, photographer
The Kangchenjunga Adventure
Edith Somerville
Ireland
2 May 1858
8 October 1949
Novelist
The Irish R.M.
Otto Stählin
Germany
22 January 1868
14 June 1949
Classical scholar
Die hellenistisch-jüdische Literatur
Edward Stettinius
United States
22 October 1900
31 October 1949
Politician
Roosevelt and the Russians
Herbert Stothart
United States
11 September 1885
1 February 1949
Composer, songwriter, conductor
Score for The Wizard of Oz
Richard Strauss
Germany
11 June 1864
8 September 1949
Composer
List of compositions
Harry Stack Sullivan
United States
21 February 1892
14 January 1949
Psychiatrist
Works
Ali Mahmoud Taha
Egypt
3 August 1901
17 November 1949
Poet
Nights of the Lost Sailor, Palestine
Edward Thorndike
United States
31 August 1874
9 August 1949
Psychologist
Works
Joaquín Torres-García
Uruguay
28 July 1874
8 August 1949
Artist, writer
Gancho Tsenov
Bulgaria
6 June 1870
1949
Historian
Joaquín Turina
Spain
9 December 1882
14 January 1949
Composer
Danzas fantásticas
Uemura Shōen
Japan
23 April 1875
27 August 1949
Artist
Jo-no-mai
Sigrid Undset
Norway
20 May 1882
10 June 1949
Novelist
Works
Shabbir Ahmad Usmani
Pakistan
11 October 1887
13 December 1949
theologian
Fathul Mulhim Sharh Sahih Muslim
Raimond Valgre
Estonia
31 October 1913
31 December 1949
composer, musician
Josef Velenovský
Czech Republic
22 April 1858
7 May 1949
botanist
Works
Oswald Garrison Villard
United States
13 March 1872
1 October 1949
Journalist, civil rights activist
John Brown 1800-1859: A Biography Fifty Years After
Rosy Wertheim
Netherlands
19 February 1888
27 May 1949
Composer
Elin Wägner
Sweden
16 May 1882
7 January 1949
Novelist
The Penholder
Lee "Lasses" White
United States
28 August 1888
16 December 1949
Pianist, songwriter, actor
E. H. Young
United Kingdom
21 March 1880
8 August 1949
Novelist and children's writer
Arthur Leo Zagat
United States
15 February 1896
3 April 1949
Writer, lawyer
Nikola Zhekov
Bulgaria
6 January 1864
1 November 1949
General
Memoirs
Oton Župančič
Slovenia
23 January 1878
11 June 1949
Writer, translator
Ciciban
Countries with life + 60 years
In Bangladesh, India, and Venezuela a work enters the public domain 60 years after the creator's death.
Entering the public domain in countries with life + 50 years
In most countries of Africa and Asia, as well as Belarus , Bolivia , Canada , New Zealand , Egypt and Uruguay ; a work enters the public domain at the end of the calendar year following 50 years after the creator's death.
Names
Country
Birth
Death
Occupation
Notable work
Alejandro G. Abadilla
Philippines
10 March 1906
26 August 1969
Writer
Ako ang Daigdig
Sargis Abrahamyan
Armenia
28 December 1915
15 June 1969
Writer
With Generations
Theodor W. Adorno
Germany
11 September 1903
6 August 1969
Philosopher
Theodor W. Adorno bibliography
Ricardo Aguirre
Venezuela
9 May 1939
8 November 1969
Singer, Composer
La Grey Zuliana
Ignacio Aldecoa
Spain
25 July 1925
15 November 1969
Author
El fulgor y la sangre
Ikbal Ali Shah
India
12 July 1894
4 November 1969
Writer, diplomat
Afghanistan of the Afghans
Edgar Anderson
United States
9 November 1897
18 June 1969
Botanist
Introgressive Hybridization
Charlotte Armstrong
United States
2 May 1905
7 July 1969
Author
A Dram of Poison
Marius Barbeau
Canada
5 March 1883
27 February 1969
Ethnographer
Downfall of Temlaham
Daniel E. Barbey
United States
23 December 1889
11 March 1969
Naval Officer
MacArthur's Amphibious Navy
Arthur K. Barnes
United States
6 December 1909
11 March 1969
Science-Fiction Writer
Works
Emilio Bigi
Paraguay
1 July 1910
28 May 1969
Musician
Renacer guarani
Charles Brackett
United States
26 November 1892
9 March 1969
Novelist, Screenwriter
Gabriel Chevallier
France
3 May 1895
6 April 1969
Novelist
Clochemerle
Ivy Compton-Burnett
United Kingdom
5 June 1884
27 August 1969
Novelist
Manservant and Maidservant
Richmal Crompton
United Kingdom
15 November 1890
11 January 1969
Writer, Teacher
Just William series
Alexandra David-Néel
Belgium France
24 October 1868
8 September 1969
Explorer, Spiritualist
Mystiques et magiciens du Tibet
Aleksandr Deyneka
Russia
20 May 1899
12 June 1969
Artist
The Defense of Petrograd
Otto Dix
Germany
2 December 1891
25 July 1969
Artist
The Trench
Duke Adolf Friedrich of Mecklenburg
Germany
10 October 1873
5 August 1969
explorer, politician
Ins innerste Afrika
Max Eastman
United States
4 January 1883
25 March 1969
Writer
Reflections on the Failure of Socialism
Dwight D. Eisenhower
United States
14 October 1890
28 March 1969
Military Officer, statesman
Crusade in Europe
Abo El Seoud El Ebiary
Egypt
9 November 1910
17 March 1969
Playwright, songwriter
Afrita hanem
Olivia FitzRoy
United Kingdom
27 May 1921
24 December 1969
Author of children's books
Orders to Poach
Botong Francisco
Philippines
4 November 1912
31 March 1969
Muralist
The Progress of Medicine in the Philippines
Karl Freund
Germany
16 January 1890
3 May 1969
Cinematographer, film director
The Mummy
Rómulo Gallegos
Venezuela
2 August 1884
5 April 1969
Novelist, politician
Doña Bárbara
Witold Gombrowicz
Poland
4 August 1904
24 July 1969
Writer, playwright
Ferdydurke
Walter Gropius
Germany
18 May 1883
5 July 1969
Architect
Bauhaus
Wendell Hall
United States
23 August 1896
2 April 1969
Singer-songwriter
It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo'
Ho Chi Minh
Vietnam
19 May 1890
2 September 1969
President
Proclamation of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam
Karl Jaspers
Germany
23 February 1883
26 February 1969
Psychiatrist, Philosopher
General Psychopathology
Jack Kerouac
United States
12 March 1922
21 October 1969
Writer
On the Road
Norman Lindsay
Australia
22 February 1879
21 November 1969
Artist, Writer
The Magic Pudding
Frank Loesser
United States
29 June 1910
28 July 1969
Songwriter
Baby, It's Cold Outside , A Bushel and a Peck
Erika Mann
Germany
5 November 1905
27 August 1969
Writer, actress
Zehn Millionen Kinder. Die Erziehung der Jugend im Dritten Reich
Gavin Maxwell
United Kingdom
15 July 1914
7 September 1969
Author
Ring of Bright Water
Leo McCarey
United States
3 October 1898
5 July 1969
Film director, screenwriter
The Bells of St. Mary's
Jimmy McHugh
United States
10 July 1894
23 May 1969
Composer
South American Way
Atanasio Ndongo Miyone
Equatorial Guinea
1928
26 March 1969
Musician
Caminemos pisando las sendas de nuestra inmensa felicidad
Meher Baba
India
25 February 1894
31 January 1969
Mystic
God Speaks
Mikio Naruse
Japan
20 August 1905
2 July 1969
Film director, screenwriter
Apart from You
Mutesa II of Buganda
Uganda
19 November 1924
21 November 1969
Statesman
The Desecration of My Kingdom
Seabury Quinn
United States
December 1889
24 December 1969
Author, lawyer
Roads
August Sang
Estonia
27 July 1914
14 October 1969
Poet
Üks noormees otsib õnne
Muhammad Shahidullah
Bangladesh
10 July 1885
13 July 1969
Writer, philologist
Bangla Sahityer Katha
Ben Shahn
United States
12 September 1898
14 March 1969
Artist
Jersey Homesteads Mural
Osbert Sitwell
United Kingdom
6 December 1892
4 May 1969
Writer
Before the Bombardment
Josef von Sternberg
United States
29 May 1894
22 December 1969
Film director
Shanghai Express
Leonard Woolf
United Kingdom
25 November 1880
14 August 1969
writer, publisher
The Village in the Jungle
John Wyndham
United Kingdom
10 July 1903
11 March 1969
Science-Fiction Writer
The Day of the Triffids , The Midwich Cuckoos
Entering the public domain in Australia
In 2004 copyright in Australia changed from a "plus 50" law to a "plus 70" law, in line with America and the European Union. But the change was not made retroactive (unlike the 1995 change in the European Union which brought some European authors back into copyright, especially those who died from 1925 to 1944). Hence the work of an author who died before 1955 is normally in the public domain in Australia; but the copyright of authors was extended to 70 years after death for those who died in 1955 or later, and no more Australian authors would come out of copyright until 1 January 2026 (those who died in 1955).
Unpublished works by authors who died in 1949 entered the public domain on 1 January 2020.[ 3] Any published literary, artistic, dramatic, or musical work (other than computer programs) by a not generally known author (anonymous or pseudonymous) from 1949 also entered the public domain on that date.
Entering the public domain in the United States
The United States Marine Band 's rendition of Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin , which entered the public domain in the US in 2020.
Works that entered the public domain on January 1, 2020, in the United States include:
In general, works published in 1924 (including printed music). However, sound recordings that were first made prior to February 15, 1972, are treated as a special case under US copyright law, and under the Music Modernization Act , sound recordings published in 1924 will enter the public domain in 2025.
Books , films , and other works published in 1924 (under the Copyright Term Extension Act ).[ 4]
Unpublished works whose authors died in 1949.
Some of the published works that entered the public domain[ 5] include the earliest sheet music[ 6] for George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and Buster Keaton 's silent comedy film Sherlock Jr. [ 7] [ 8]
Tom Lehrer
In October 2020, satirical singer/songwriter Tom Lehrer announced the release of all of his lyrics and music to the public domain.[ 9]
See also
References
External links