Censorship! Persmuseum IISG

1700-1800: Subdued freedom II
Waarschouwinge
Waarschouwinge. Burgemeesteren en Regeerders der Stadt Amsterdam... dat alle Courantiers ende Nieuw-Schryvers binnen deze Stad, nu alhier zynde, ... zig zullen hebben te onthouden over het formeeren van haare Couranten of Nouvelles,...
Amsterdam, Pieter van den Berge,
1734
[Warning. Burgomasters and Governors of the City of Amsterdam... that all Newspaper Publishers or News Writers within this City, now established here, .... They shall refrain from producing their Journals or Newspapers,...]

With this edict the city of Amsterdam forbade courantiers [newspaper publishers] to obtain or use information from government functionaries who worked abroad. Should the courantiers nonetheless use news regarding affairs of state, then they were obliged to quote their source(s). Coffeehouses too could be punished if they laid out newspapers or other texts with such information for their customers on their reading tables. This is one of many edicts with the same theme. During the 17th and 18th centuries, orders and bans concerning the press were repeated regularly.
Call number:
PM 14712
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