Ghostwriting is not a recent development, but it has been very much in practice since the days of Mozart. The Classical Era Composer was known for having ghostwritten music for wealthy patrons. Political leaders have been exploiting this avenue, along with many Executives and celebrities; who do not prefer to invest much of their time in relating to the public en masse, the lives they lead.
Recently, the erstwhile Chancellor of West Germany and the reunited Germany, Helmut Kohl, got into a legal tussle with his former Ghostwriter Heribert Schwan. After the fall out between Kohl and Schwan (publication of 3 books together), the ghostwriter has published "Vermachtnis: Die Kohl Protokole", recording many direct quotes of Kohl. Mr. Kohl had decided against the publication of the fourth book.
Kohl in his interviews with Schwan had made very direct comments about the present German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, the former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and Mikhael Gorbachev too.
The former Chancellor has been successful in obtaining an injunction against any further printing of the book, which include the quotes of Kohl as recorded in the previous interviews with Schwan. The court has gone ahead in supporting Kohl's claims holding the ghostwriter's act to be an unlawful infringement of confidentiality, since the book has been published against the express wishes of his.
This is not the end of the tale, let's see how the story unfolds.
- Bagmisikha Puhan
- Bagmisikha Puhan
