Whether and how a text or photo is to be published or used is decided by each author (author, photographer) for his or her own "work". However, there are exceptions (so-called restrictions) in favor of research and teaching. Details can be found in the Copyright Act (Urheberrechtsgesetz). An overview of legal areas in the digital world can be found at https://irights.info/.
The authors of a publication are responsible for compliance with the copyright and exploitation rights of third parties.
Secondary publication
If you want to widely distribute your own work, you should only grant publishers simple rights of use for your own publications, so that they can later publish the articles as a second publication. To this end, cross out restrictive formulations (such as exclusive rights of use or exclusive rights) for the electronic version of your publication directly in the contract before signing. Alternatively, you can attach an addendum to the publishing agreement for signature, which only grants the publisher a simple right of use for the publication.
If a contract with simple rights of use is not possible, as a doctoral student you can ask the publishers involved for permission to reprint the published articles free of charge in the cumulative dissertation. The dissertation should then state: "Printed with kind permission of the [journal/publisher]". In some cases, a second publication in the form of a "Thesis" is allowed by publishers on a blanket basis.
If you want to make your article, which has already been published by a journal publisher, available as a second publication on our Repository eLib , the author contract signed by you applies. The license database SHERPA/RoMEO provides legally non-binding information about the conditions of a secondary publication of many publishers. In case of doubt, contact the publisher. The Dissemin service can also help you.
If other people are involved in the publication, you also need their consent. You confirm this in a legally binding manner by granting a simple right of use at the end of the publication process.
Do you have questions about copyright and authors' rights?
![[Translate to English:] Symbolbild Publizieren](/fileadmin/_processed_/4/9/csm_office-620817_1920_09d8984475.jpg "Lernen")
