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2026 in public domain

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The works of Thomas Mann will enter the public domain in Europe in 2026.

When a work's copyright expires, it enters the public domain. The following is a list of creators whose works enter the public domain in 2026. Since laws vary globally, the copyright status of some works are not uniform.

Entering the public domain in countries with life + 70 years

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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 70 years after the creator's death, if it was published during the creator's lifetime. For previously unpublished material, those who publish it first will have the publication rights for 25 years. 2026 marks the first year since 2006 that works will enter the public domain in Australia, which changed its copyright term length from a "plus 50" law to a "plus 70" law in 2004.[1] The list is sorted alphabetically and includes a notable work of the creator that entered the public domain on 1 January 2026.

Names Country Birth Death Occupation Notable work
James Agee  United States 27 November 1909 16 May 1955 Novelist, Journalist, Poet, Screenwriter A Death in the Family
Silvio D'Amico  Italy 3 February 1887 1 April 1955 Theatre theorist
Ruby M. Ayres  United Kingdom 28 January 1881 14 November 1955 Romance novelist Bibliography
Johannes Baader  Germany 21 June 1875 14 January 1955 Writer, Artist, Architect
Lloyd Bacon  United States 4 December 1889 15 November 1955 Actor, Film director Filmography as director
Guido Battelli [de]  Italy 24 September 1869 13 April 1955 Writer Works
Dale Carnegie  United States 24 November 1888 1 November 1955 Writer How to Win Friends and Influence People
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin  France 1 May 1881 10 April 1955 Jesuit priest, Scientist, Paleontologist, Theologian, Philosopher The Phenomenon of Man
Eugenio Cirese [it]  Italy 21 February 1884 8 February 1955 Poet Works
Paul Claudel  France 6 August 1868 23 February 1955 Poet, Dramatist Works
Donald Corley  United States 8 June 1886 11 December 1955 Short story author, illustrator, architect
Alfredo Cuscinà [it]  Italy 30 November 1881 30 March 1955 Composer Main operettas
William C. deMille  United States 25 July 1878 5 March 1955 Screenwriter, Film director Filmography
Isaak Dunayevsky  Russia 30 January 1900 25 July 1955 Composer Compositions
Albert Einstein  Germany
 United States 		14 March 1879 18 April 1955 Theoretical physicist Scientific publications, The Evolution of Physics, The Meaning of Relativity
George Enescu  Romania 19 August 1881 4 May 1955 Composer Compositions
Concha Espina  Spain 15 April 1879 19 May 1955 Writer Bibliography
Émile Fabre  France 24 March 1869 25 September 1955 Playwright Plays
Joseph Jefferson Farjeon  United Kingdom 4 June 1883 6 June 1955 Novelist, Playwright, Screenwriter Works
Alexander Fleming  United Kingdom 6 August 1881 11 March 1955 Physician
José Ortega y Gasset  Spain 9 May 1883 18 October 1955 Philosopher, Essayist Works
Rodolfo Graziani  Italy 11 August 1882 11 January 1955 General Books
Arthur Honegger   Switzerland 10 March 1892 27 November 1955 Composer Compositions
Clemence Housman  United Kingdom 23 November 1861 6 December 1955 Author
Jaime Ovalle  Brazil 5 August 1894 9 September 1955 Composer Works
James P. Johnson  United States 1 February 1894 17 November 1955 Composer, pianist Charleston
Fernand Léger  France 4 February 1881 17 August 1955 Painter, Sculptor, Filmmaker
Thomas Mann  Germany 6 June 1875 12 August 1955 Writer, Philanthropist, Essayist Works
Francesco Balilla Pratella  Italy 1 February 1880 17 May 1955 Composer Selected Works
Max Pechstein  Germany 31 December 1881 29 June 1955 Painter
Robert Riskin  United States 30 March 1897 20 September 1955 Screenwriter, Playwright Filmography
Nat Schachner  United States 16 January 1895 2 October 1955 Author and biographer Space Lawyer
Robert E. Sherwood  United States 4 April 1896 14 November 1955 Screenwriter, Playwright
Nicolas de Staël  France 5 January 1914 16 March 1955 Painter
Al. T. Stamatiad  Romania 9 May 1885 December 1955 Poet, Short story writer, Dramatist
Wallace Stevens  United States 2 October 1879 2 August 1955 Poet The Auroras of Autumn
Yves Tanguy  France 5 January 1900 15 January 1955 Painter Paintings
Yevgeny Tarle  Russia 27 October 1874 6 January 1955 Historian Napoleon's Invasion of Russia, 1812
Tin Ujević  Croatia 5 July 1891 12 November 1955 Poet Works
Maurice Utrillo  France 26 December 1883 5 November 1955 Painter
Anwar Wagdi  Egypt 11 October 1904 14 May 1955 Director The Flirtation of Girls
Léon Werth  France 17 February 1878 13 December 1955 Writer Books
Hermann Weyl  Germany 9 November 1885 8 December 1955 Mathematician, Theoretical physicist, Philosopher Bibliography

Entering the public domain in Spain

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Spain has a copyright term of life + 80 years for creators that died before 1987. The list is sorted alphabetically and includes a notable work of the creator that entered the public domain on 1 January 2026.

Names Country Birth Death Occupation Notable work
Béla Bartók  Hungary 25 March 1881 26 September 1945 Composer Compositions
Dietrich Bonhoeffer  Germany 4 February 1906 9 April 1945 Lutheran pastor, Theologian The Cost of Discipleship
Theodore Dreiser  United States 27 August 1871 28 December 1945 Novelist, Journalist Sister Carrie, An American Tragedy
Anne Frank  Germany 12 June 1929 February 1945 Diarist The Diary of a Young Girl
Zinaida Gippius  Russia 20 November 1869 9 September 1945 Poet, Playwright, Novelist Bibliography
Adolf Hitler  Germany 20 April 1889 30 April 1945 Führer of Germany Mein Kampf
Benito Mussolini  Italy 29 July 1883 28 April 1945 Prime Minister of Italy, Duce of Fascism Writings
Kitaro Nishida  Japan 19 May 1870 7 June 1945 Philosopher Works
Franklin D. Roosevelt  United States 30 January 1882 12 April 1945 President of the United States Looking Forward
Felix Salten  Austria 6 September 1869 8 October 1945 Writer Bambi, a Life in the Woods
Josep Maria Sert  Spain 21 December 1874 27 November 1945 Muralist
Ignacio Zuloaga  Spain 26 July 1870 24 June 1945 Painter
Franz Werfel  Austria
 Czechia 		10 September 1890 26 August 1945 Novelist, Playwright, Poet The Forty Days of Musa Dagh
Ignacio Zuloaga  Spain 26 July 1870 31 October 1945 Painter

Countries with life + 60 years

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India

Names Country Birth Death Occupation Notable work
T. S. Eliot  United Kingdom,
 United States 		26 September 1888 4 January 1965 Poet, Essayist, Playwright Works

Entering the public domain in countries with life + 50 years

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In most countries of Africa and Asia, as well as Belarus, Bolivia, Canada, New Zealand, Egypt and Uruguay; a work enters the public domain 50 years after the creator's death.

Names Country Birth Death Occupation Notable work
John Akar  Sierra Leone 1927 1975 Entertainer, writer, diplomat High We Exalt Thee, Realm of the Free
Leroy Anderson  United States 29 June 1908 18 May 1975 Composer Sleigh Ride, Blue Tango, The Typewriter, The Syncopated Clock
Ivo Andrić  Yugoslavia 9 October 1892 13 March 1975 Writer, Poet The Bridge on the Drina
Pablo Antonio  Philippines 25 January 1901 14 June 1975 Architect Ideal Theater, Life Theater, White Cross Orphanage, Capitan Luis Gonzaga Building
Hannah Arendt  Germany
 United States 		14 October 1906 4 December 1975 Writer, Political philosopher The Human Condition, Eichmann in Jerusalem
Mikhail Bakhtin  Russia 16 November 1895 7 March 1975 Philosopher Works
Thomas Hart Benton  United States 15 April 1889 19 January 1975 Painter
James Blish  United States 23 May 1921 30 July 1975 Writer Cities in Flight, Star Trek novelizations
Arthur Bliss  United Kingdom 2 August 1891 27 March 1975 Composer Compositions
Tim Buckley  United States 14 February 1947 29 June 1975 Guitarist, Singer, Songwriter Discography
Luigi Dallapiccola  Italy 3 February 1904 19 February 1975 Composer Compositions
Lefty Frizzell  United States 31 March 1928 19 July 1975 Singer, Songwriter Discography
Konstantine Gamsakhurdia  Georgia 3 May 1893 17 July 1975 Writer The Right Hand of the Grand Master
Bernard Herrmann  United States 29 July 1911 24 December 1975 Composer Film scores
Edna Mayne Hull  Canada 1 May 1905 20 January 1975 SF author Planets for Sale
Julian Huxley  United Kingdom 22 June 1887 14 February 1975 Evolutionary biologist Works
Chiang Kai-shek  Taiwan 31 October 1887 5 April 1975 President of the Republic of China China's Destiny (中国之命运)
Rowland V. Lee  United States 6 September 1891 21 December 1975 Director, Actor, Screenwriter, Producer
Murray Leinster  United States 16 June 1896 8 June 1975 Writer Bibliography
Elijah Muhammad  United States 7 October 1897 25 February 1975 Leader of the Nation of Islam Message to the Blackman in America
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman  Bangladesh 17 March 1920 15 August 1975 Politician Books
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan  India 5 September 1888 17 April 1975 Philosopher, President of India The Dhammapada, The Principal Upanishads
Alfred Hamish Reed  New Zealand 30 December 1875 15 January 1975 Writer, publisher The Gumdiggers: The Story of Kauri Gum
Maria Elizabeth Rothmann  South Africa 28 August 1875 7 September 1975 Author Kinders van die Voortrek
Nora Sanderson  New Zealand 14 February 1905 2 March 1975 Romance writer Hospital in New Zealand
Rod Serling  United States 25 December 1924 28 June 1975 Screenwriter, Playwright, Television producer The Twilight Zone
Dmitri Shostakovich  Russia 25 September 1906 9 August 1975 Composer Compositions
Noble Sissle  United States 10 July 1889 17 December 1975 Jazz composer, Lyricist Shuffle Along, I'm Just Wild About Harry
Christopher Strachey  United Kingdom 16 November 1916 18 May 1975 Computer scientist CPL, Fundamental Concepts in Programming Languages
Bill Sutch  New Zealand 27 June 1907 28 September 1975 Economist Poverty and Progress in New Zealand, The Quest for Security in New Zealand
Arnold J. Toynbee  United Kingdom 14 April 1889 22 October 1975 Historian A Study of History
Thornton Wilder  United States 17 April 1897 7 December 1975 Playwright, Novelist The Bridge of San Luis Rey, Our Town
P. G. Wodehouse  United Kingdom 15 October 1881 7 December 1975 Playwright, Novelist Bibliography

United States

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See also: Public domain in the United States
The earliest Betty Boop cartoons will enter the public domain in the United States in 2026.

Under the Copyright Term Extension Act, books published in 1930, films released in 1930, and other works published in 1930, will enter the public domain in 2026.[2] Sound recordings that were published in 1925 will enter the public domain.[3]

Unpublished works whose authors died in 1955 will enter the public domain.

Among the literary works that will enter public domain in 2026 are Dashiell Hammett's detective novel The Maltese Falcon, Agatha Christie's Miss Marple-novel The Murder at the Vicarage, William Faulkner's novel As I Lay Dying, H. Rider Haggard's final work Belshazzar, Noël Coward's play Private Lives, Philip Wylie's novel Gladiator, often theorised to be an inspiration for The Reign of the Superman, Milt Gross's graphic novel He Done Her Wrong, Bertold Brecht's play The Decision in its original German, the first appearance of Herge's Tintin in Tintin in the Land of the Soviets in its original French, the first English translation of Franz Kafka's The Castle, the first Elson-Gray Readers books featuring Dick and Jane by William S. Gray, the first English translation of Hermann Sudermann's The Excursion to Tilsit and Carolyn Keene's The Secret of the Old Clock and the character Nancy Drew (although only the original 1930 text).

Significant films entering the public domain this year include All Quiet on the Western Front, Greta Garbo's first sound film Anna Christie, Jean Harlow's film debut Hell's Angels, John Wayne's film debut in The Big Trail, The Love Parade, Animal Crackers starring the Marx Brothers, Soup to Nuts featuring an early iteration of The Three Stooges, George Cukor's directorial debut Grumpy, Josef von Sternberg's The Blue Angel and Morocco, both starring Marlene Dietrich (the first of eight films they made together), The Unholy Three, starring Lon Chaney in his only speaking role, F.W. Murnau's City Girl, G.W. Pabst's Westfront 1918, Robert Siodmak's directorial debut People on Sunday, Jean Vigo's directorial debut À propos de Nice, Luis Buñuel's The Golden Age, the first Italian soundfilm The Sound of Love, the first Polish sound film Niebezpieczny romans, the first Czech sound film Tonka of the Gallows, the first Argentinian sound film Goodbye Argentina and the oldest surviving television broadcast The Man with the Flower in His Mouth. The earliest Betty Boop and Bimbo works will enter into the public domain including Dizzy Dishes. The Disney character Pluto also makes his first appearance, first as an unnamed dog in The Chain Gang, and later called Rover in The Picnic[a], along with Clarabelle Cow. Another Ub Iwerks cartoon creation, Flip the Frog, will also enter the public domain.

The first comic appearances of Hergé's Quick & Flupke and Chic Young's Blondie will also enter the public domain.

Some of the better-known works of art entering the public domain are Piet Mondrian's Composition with Red Blue and Yellow, Ansel Adams' photobook Taos Pueblo with writing by Mary Hunter Austin, Martin Munkácsi's photograph Three Boys at Lake Tanganyika, Edward Weston's photograph Pepper No. 30, early prints of M.C. Escher (The Bridge and Castrovalva), and the first designs of the Brno chair and the Tugendhat chair.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "How long does copyright last? | National Library of Australia". www.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  2. ^ "Copyright and the Public Domain". Public Domain Information Project. Archived from the original on 2014-08-01. Retrieved 2019-01-23.
  3. ^ Hirtle, Peter B. (3 January 2020). "Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States". Cornell University Library Copyright Information Center. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  1. ^ He would first be referred to as Pluto in the 1931 short The Moose Hunt
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