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[Enclosure—Translation57]
Decree by the German Commission for Import and
Export Permits Concerning the Importation of Exposed Motion
Picture Films
Berlin, December 11,
1928.
II A/9 No. 17624/28
Until further notice, the following regulations govern the import of
exposed motion picture films:
I
In each contingent year, that is, the period from July 1 to June 30
of the following year, only a certain number of permits for
censorship of foreign feature films will be issued. The allocation
of these permits, the number of which is to be set each year, takes
place as follows: a certain portion of them, to be determined from
year to year, will be allotted to German renters who have actually
maintained an independent rental organization during the contingent
year in question; the rest remain at the disposal of the Federal
Commissioner.
The allocation of permits among renters entitled thereto will be made
in proportion to the number of German feature films, censored during
the two preceding calendar years and entitled to compensation, of
which they were the original distributors. By German films are meant
films for which at least the studio photography was done in Germany.
By films entitled to compensation are meant films whose length is
not less than 1,500 meters and in the production of which at least
14 studio days were required. Furthermore, these films must have
been publicly exhibited in the usual manner by the applying firm.
The decision in doubtful cases will be made by the Federal
Commissioner. Firms which were not original renters of any films
entitled to compensation, or of only one such film, in the preceding
year will not be taken into account.
The actual issuance of the permits will take place only after the
allocation of the permits has been completed on the basis of the
data presented by German renters, but in no case before August 1,
1929 [of each year]. No advance issue will be made.
The rights to permits and the permits themselves are
non-transferable. The films censored on the basis of these permits
may be released
[Page 921]
only by
the applying firm. In the case of district renters, the allocation
of district permits will be made in accordance with the same
principle as for renters covering all of Germany. District permits
may be used by the holder only [in respect of foreign films].
District permits can be consolidated.58 For every five district permits, a
release permit may be claimed for all of Germany. Foreign feature
films censored on the basis thereof must be released through
district renters. District renters who were not the original
distributor of any German film entitled to compensation in the
previous year, or of only one such film, will not be taken into
account.
II
For foreign comedies and cartoons not exceeding 500 meters in length
and for newsreels and industrial films, permits may be granted
without compensation.
III
Permits for the censorship of foreign educational and cultural films
will be issued only when the renters applying therefor show by
contracts or otherwise that for every foreign educational and
cultural film for which a permit is requested they themselves have
distributed two new and unreleased German educational and cultural
films of about the same length, censored within the contingent
year.
IV
Regulations governing the number of permits to be issued and details
incidental thereto will be drawn up from year to year in
consultation with the film industry.
V
On the basis of the foregoing, the Federal Commissioner fixes the
number of permits to be issued during the contingent year 1929/30 i.
e., the period from July 1, 1929 to June 30, 1930, at 210.
Of this number, 160 permits will be issued to qualified renters.
The remaining 50 permits are placed at the disposal of the Federal
Commissioner and will be issued to German firms giving evidence that
they have sold German films abroad and that these films have
received adequate public exhibition there.
The basis upon which these permits are to be distributed will be
determined later in consultation with the film industry.
Federal Commissioner for Import and Export
Permits
Liquidation office
by Dr.
Landwehr
[Page 922]
In accordance with the foregoing regulations, the Federal
Commissioner calls upon all renters who lay claim to permits for the
contingent year 1929/30 to submit applications not later than
January 31, 1929, to the Aussenhandelsausschuss Filme, Dr. Kuhnert,
Berlin, SW 48, Friedrichstrasse 250, listing the films entitled to
compensation that they have distributed.
