From January 1, 2024, many copyrighted works entered the public domain again, meaning they lost their copyright protection. In Germany, this occurs 70 years after the death of the author. A list of new public domain works can be found on Wikipedia: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Public_Domain_Day/2024_in_Public_Domain.
The film "Steamboat Willie," the first synchronized, publicly shown cartoon featuring the character Mickey Mouse, became public domain in the USA as of January 1, 2024, but not in Germany (see also https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steamboat_Willie). However, works by the French artist Francis Picabia, for example, are in the public domain. Wikimedia Commons has seen many new additions due to works becoming free: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Public_Domain_Day/2024.
What enters the public domain in 2024, or each year, depends on the laws of each respective country. For instance, the USA has different deadlines. The Public Domain Review website lists public domain works according to different copyright terms: https://publicdomainreview.org/features/entering-the-public-domain/2024/. The relevant copyright term for Germany is "life plus 70 years."
