Statement by Imprint Academic

Imprint Academic has reacted to the ongoing cyberstalking campaign against me. To save having to make the same points repeatedly, they put the following statement on their website:

Publisher's announcement

Imprint Academic and Erich Kofmel

I have been coming under pressure since autumn 2008 on the matter of Imprint Academic’s publication of two books edited by Erich Kofmel. Initially this was from an anonymous group calling themselves “For and On Behalf of the Victims of Erich Kofmel”. They wished me to cancel publication of both Imprint Academic’s Kofmel volumes, on the grounds that money obtained by (alleged) fraud has been used in their development. My response was (a) I do not deal with anonymous bodies; (b) Erich Kofmel has not yet been found guilty of fraud; (c) I have a contractual obligation not just to the editor of these volumes but to his contributors.

That remains essentially my position, although the problem of anonymity seems now to have gone [and been replaced by the problem of identity theft and use of changing assumed identities instead - E.K.]. I have no wish for the reputation of Imprint Academic to be damaged by its association with Erich Kofmel, but neither do I intend to put myself in the wrong by breaking a legal publishing agreement on the basis of unproved allegations.

I should perhaps add that Imprint Academic’s two contracts with Erich Kofmel have not involved any money changing hands in either direction. The full cost of production is being borne by the publisher, and any editorial royalties due to Erich Kofmel in respect of sales of the books are due to be paid annually in arrears (our normal practice).

Anthony Freeman
Managing Editor, Imprint Academic