AA archive documents

Note: This is the translation of a contract, which was written by AAWS's attorney in German language February 4th, 1998. Pressure was put on an AA member to sign it. When he was ready to sign it, AAeV refused and added more claims. Thus the situation remains unresolved and the lawsuit continues on March 26,1998. If such kind of contract would be presented to you -- would you sign it? Contract between

[full name and address of a German AA member, herein called "m"]

and

Anonymous Alcoholics Interest Society, Inc., represented by the General Service Board , Lotte-Branz-Str.14, 80939 Munich, here represented by attorney Frieder Roth, Gewurzmuhlstr. 5, 80538 Munich, [Germany]

herein called "AAeV"

1. Mr. "m" does commit himself in respect of AAeV

r e f r a i n f r o m manufacturing and/or passing on of AA literature, which is published by AAeV and/or whereof the copyrights are owned by AAeV (including such rights which were granted from any other source by means of a license agreement),

nor to engage in any such activities of other persons.
from AAeV or
from other sources and

to redistribute or
pass this on.

The commitment according to paragraph 1 applies especially to

a) the text on pages 1 - 192 of the work "Alcoholics Anonymous" as published by AAeV, regardless of the text version and regardless of the language of the publication.

b) the booklet A-A-ktuell 11/95 (an AA group's newsletter) with the English original version of "Bill's Story" and three German translations.

c) the booklet A-A-ktuell 7/96 with the title "Too young?" where the picture stories "It happened to Alice ..." and "Too young?" are contained in (in German translation).

2. The above described commitment is made by Mr. "m"

as a private person,
in his role as owner of [name of an outside enterprise, registration number],
and in his role as member of the Big Book Study Group in Bad Homburg.

4. Mr. "m" commits himself to pay a fine to AAeV for every single case of violation of his commitment as laid down in paragraph 1. AAeV will then choose how much money punishment he has to pay. In case of disagreement from sides of Mr. "m" with the appropriateness of the fine, this will be brought before the Court of State in Frankfurt/Main to check out.

5. Mr. "m" declares that he has presently not filed any law suit and brought no criminal charge against AAeV or any of it's members. The AA member also refrains from doing that in the future -- as long as AAeV does not sue him.

6. AAeV discontinues the law suit before the Court of State in Frankfurt Main (ID number). Mr. "m" pays all court expenses. Each side pays it's own attorney's cost. Other commercial law suits against "m" have not been filed for the moment.

7. AAeV has filed a suit at the criminal chamber of the Supreme Court of State in Frankfurt that criminal investigation and punishment be brought against Mr. "m" . AAeV discontinues that.

AAeV will also tell the Attorney of State at the Court of State in Frankfurt, that because of an outside-court-accord AAeV has lost interest in the criminal investigations, which were started April 7th, 1996 and are still going on (ID numbers) .

8. AAeV will not carry out any legal action in matters as described herein against Mr. "m" , as long as he complies with his commitment as made herein.

9. This accord is set forth as soon as it is signed by both sides and both sides hold a copy in hands signed by both sides.

City, date Munich, date
to be signed ("m") to be signed (AAeV, Inc.)

D3\D3395 [attorney's file reference number]

See document from AA e.V.