"They do not acknowledge the validity of any laws" (D.N. Bassalygo and the Enforcement of Copyright in Saratov during the Early Years of Soviet Rule)

This article investigates the enforcement of copyright for dramatic works in the early years of the Soviet government, using the Saratov Province as a case study. Based on materials from central and regional archives, the study analyzes the framework for interaction between copyright societies and local authorities during a period of fundamental legal restructuring and identifies the specificities of copyright protection at the regional level. The role of D.N. Bassalygo – Chairman of the Saratov Department of Arts, who later became a prominent theatre and film executive – in this process is examined.