A letter from
Hugo Piet Hein

E-Mail.

This Newsletter reflects a short exchange of letters between mr. Hugo Piet Hein (Son of Mr. Piet Hein) and myself.
Each letter is shown in their original Danish form form, and translated to English form.
The initial letter if from Hugo, who writes to me, after having seen my SOMA page.

From: "Hugo Piet Hein" <hph@piethein.com>
To: <bundgard@post8.tele.dk>
Subject: SOMA
Date: 22 May 1999

Goddag Bundgaard,

SOMA er desværre ikke beskyttet med patent, mønster el. varemærke, den beskyttelse den nyder idag (i teorien) er igennem ophavsretloven, hvilket varer 70 år efter skaberens død, altså indtil år 2066.

Jeg har læst din afhandling med interesse, og er forundret over de firmaer (hovedsageligt USA) der sælger SOMA og tilsyneladende ikke finder det nødvendigt kontakte enten min far el. hans firma for at få accept/blå-stempling af deres produkt.

venlig hilsen

Hugo Piet Hein
Piet Hein a/s

From: "bundgard" <bundgard@post8.tele.dk>
To: <hph@piethein.com>
Subject: SOMA
Date: 24 maj 1999

Goddag Hugo

Tusind tak fordi du tog dig tid til at skrive til mig.

Som du selv var inde på, er der for få som kontakter jer, for at få en 'Blå stempling / Accept' fra Piet Hein firmaet.
Da jeg ved at mange SOMA puslere rundt om i verden, brænder for at høre nyt, ville en sådan accept fra dig være betydningsfuld.

Netop det at respektere koncept rettigheden er noget der ligger mig på sinde.
Som du nok så på min SOMA side, er det min opfattelse, at konceptet i SOMA, er at de forunderlige figurer der kan skabes, skal deles af alle mennesker, mens selve spillet, Dvs. de 7 SOMA klods former, netop gennem ophavsretsloven tilhører din far Piet. og hans familie.

Desværre er ikke alle firmaer enige heri, og adskillige forsøger endog at hævde at de selv har rettigheder til såvel klodser som figurer.
Dette er desværre ikke noget jeg kan kæmpe imod, men udelukkende forsøge at fortælle de der ser min side, den sande historie om spillet og dets tilhørsforhold.

Jeg er meget glad for din henvendelse, da jeg indtil nu ikke har haft held til at finde en sådan kontakt til familen Hein.
Dit brev giver mig således mulighed for at spørge om følgende:

1. Kan jeg få firmaet Piet Hein A/S accept/blå-stempling af at min SOMA side gengiver SOMA figurer.?

2. På min 'History' side refererer jeg til Piet Hein's Gruk's og gengiver 10 gode eksempler på disse pragtfulde digte. Jeg ved de er beskyttet af copyright, kan jeg få 'Piet Hein A/S' accept af min gengivelse, eller skal jeg slette dem ?

3. Kan du give -, eller kender du en kontakt person, hos firmaet 'Skjøde' hvorfra jeg kan opnå accept af min gengivelse af deres SOMA manual.

Venlig hilsen
Thorleif Bundgård

From: "Hugo Piet Hein" <hph@piethein.com>
To: "bundgard" <bundgard@post8.tele.dk>
Subject: Sv: SOMA
Date: 20 Jun 1999

Goddag Thorleif,

Først skal jeg beklage min lange svartid, herefter forsøge at besvare dine tre spørgsmål så godt jeg kan:

"1. Kan jeg få firmaet Piet Hein A/S accept/blå-stempling af at min SOMA side gengiver SOMA figurer.?"
Dine sider meget spændende og metodisk opbygget, og jeg har ikke noget imod dem og de kan godt fortsætte, den nuværende situation er at vi ikke har nogen producenter, skulle vi få det senere kan billedet ændre sig, men så vil jeg forsøge at få et samspil imellem dig og dem, hvis det kan lade sig gøre !!

"2. På min 'History' side refererer jeg til Piet Hein's Gruk's og gengiver 10 gode eksempler på disse pragtfulde digte. Jeg ved de er beskyttet af copyright, kan jeg få 'Piet Hein A/S' accept af min gengivelse, eller skal jeg slette dem ?"
For nuværende kan du godt beholde dem på dine hjemmesider, men jeg har ikke læst korrektur så hvis jeg opdager stave-/opsætnings-fejl, så får du et praj. Skulle det pludselig vrimle med Piet Hein tekster på nettet så vil du nok blive bedt om at reducerer antallet til 3 - 5 stykker (det er hvad jeg har bedt andre om).

"3. Kan du give -, eller kender du en kontakt person, hos firmaet 'Skjøde' hvorfra jeg kan opnå accept af min gengivelse af deres SOMA manual."
Firmaet SKJØDE existerer ikke mere, desværre !! De/han var en meget dygtig håndværker, og havde en meget flot finish på sine træ-varer.
Rettighederne til manualen tilhører Piet Hein a/s, og for min skyld kan du godt beholde dem på hjemmesiderne, men må dog henvise til samme svar som er givet til spørgsmål 1.

Skulle du have andre spørgsmål til og omkring SOMA, så "skyd løs", og jeg skal forsøge at svare.

Venlig hilsen

Hugo Piet Hein

English translation

From: "Hugo Piet Hein" <hph@piethein.com>
To: <bundgard@post8.tele.dk>
Subject: SOMA
Date: 22 May 1999

Hello Bundgaard,

SOMA is unfortunately not protected by patent, pattern or trademark, the protection it receives today (in theory) is through copyright law, which lasts 70 years after the creators death, which is untill the year 2066.

I have read your essay with interest, and is astonished over the compagnies (mainly USA) that sell SOMA and apparently do not find it necessary to contact either my father or his compagny to get an approval/'blue-stamp' of their produkt.

friendly greetings

Hugo Piet Hein
Piet Hein a/s

From: "bundgard" <bundgard@post8.tele.dk>
To: <hph@piethein.com>
Subject: SOMA
Date: 24 maj 1999

Hello Hugo

Thousand thanks because you took the time to write to me.

As you yourself mentioned, there are too few that contacts you, to get a 'Blue-stamp / Accept' from the Piet Hein compagny.
As I know that many SOMA puzzlers around the world, is burning to hear news, such an accept from you will be very significant.

Exactly the aspect of respecting the concept rights is an issue that is important to me.
As you probably saw on my SOMA page, it is my conseption, that the concept of SOMA, is that the peculiar figurs that can be created, must be shared by all people, whereas the game itself, That is. the 7 SOMA pieces, exactly through the copyright law belong to your father Piet. and his family.

Unfortunately not all compagnies agree to this, and several even try to claim that they themselves have rights to as well pieces as figures.
This is unfortunately not a situation against which I can fight but solely try to tell those who see my page, the true story about the game and its relationships.

I am very glad to receive your mail, as I untill now have not had any succes in finding such a contact to the Hein family.
Your letter thus gives me the oportunity to ask the following:

1. Can I get the compagny Piet Hein A/S accept / 'blue-stamping' of, that my SOMA page is showing SOMA figurs.?

2. On my 'History' page I refer to Piet Hein's Grook's and I reprint 10 good examples of these wonderfull poems. I know that they are protected by copyright, can I get 'Piet Hein A/S' accept of my printing, or must I erase them ?

3. Can you give -, or do you know a contact person, at the compagny 'Skjøde' from whom I can get an accept of my reproduction of their SOMA manual.

friendly greetings
Thorleif Bundgård

From: "Hugo Piet Hein" <hph@piethein.com>
To: "bundgard" <bundgard@post8.tele.dk>
Subject: Sv: SOMA
Date: 20 Jun 1999

Hello Thorleif,

First I must excuse my long answering time, hereafter I will try to answer your three questions as good as I can:

"1. Can I get the compagny Piet Hein A/S accept / 'blue-stamping' of, that my SOMA page is showing SOMA figurs.?"
Your pages are very exciting and methodic built, and I have nothing against them and they may continue, the current situation is that we don't have any producers, should we get that later the picture may change, but then I will try to get a cooperation between you and them, if that is possible !!

"2. On my 'History' page I refer to Piet Hein's Grook's and I reprint 10 good examples of these wonderfull poems. I know that they are protected by copyright, can I get 'Piet Hein A/S' accept of my printing, or must I erase them ?"
For the time being you may keep them on your homepages, but I have'nt read corrections so if I spot spelling-/layout-errors, then you will get a notice. Should it suddenly flourish with Piet Hein texts on the net then you will probably be asked to reduce the number to 3 - 5 pieces (that is what I have asked of others).

"3. Can you give -, or do you know a contact person, at the compagny 'Skjøde' from whom I can get an accept of my reproduction of their SOMA manual."
The compagny SKJØDE does not exist any more, unfortunately !! they/he was a very skilled craftsman, and had a very beautifull finish of his wood-works.
Rights to the manual belong to Piet Hein a/s, and for my sake you may keep it on the homepages, but I must refer to the same answer as given for question 1.

Should you have further questions to or about SOMA, then just "shoot", and I will try to answer.

friendly greetings

Hugo Piet Hein

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