Efforts to Recover Art Looted by the Nazis: Reforms and Challenges

When the Nazis occupied Poland during World War II, they stole numerous works of art. One of them was, for example, the Madonna with childa beautiful painting from the 16th century attributed to the Italian painter Alessandro Turchi. Only last June did that painting return to Poland, after being returned to the Warsaw authorities by those of Japan, since the painting was in Tokyo.

But there are still many, many works of art looted by the Nazis that have not been returned to their rightful owners. Only in the case of Poland it is estimated that about 66,000 pieces remain to be recovered.

Germany is now giving important steps to facilitate the return to their true owners of many of the numerous works of art looted by the Nazis. The proof is that, from now on, museums that refuse to collaborate with the National Commission on Art Looted by the Nazis may not receive funding from the federal government, according to the Art Newspaper.

That is one of the changes that the German Minister of Culture is promoting, Claudia Roth, to restore to their true owners the works of art stolen during the Third Reich. Since 1998, Germany has only returned about 7,000 works looted by the Nazis, a very small portion of those that were looted in total. Minister Roth, always according Art Newspaperhas not hesitated to describe it as a “shame” that this figure is so low.

Ceremony on May 31 for the return to Poland of the work ‘Madonna with Child’, by Alessandro Turchi, looted by the Nazis during World War II. (EFE/Polish Institute In Tokyo/ Przemyslaw Sliwinski)

The vast majority of the restored works were in public collections. Right now, German law establishes that a person who acquired a cultural property looted by the Nazis in good faith has the right to keep it after 10 years. The German Ministry of Culture would, according to Art Newspaperin talks with the Ministries of Justice and Finance to change that rule.

Claudia Roth also seems determined to modify the operation of the National Commission on Art Looted by the Nazis. Right now, for that body to intervene in a dispute, both parties must agree to accept its participation. This explains why said commission has only issued a total of 23 recommendations in 20 years.

In Germany, a person who acquired a work looted by the Nazis in good faith has the right to keep it after 10 years.

But for the reform of the National Commission on Art Looted by the Nazis planned by the German Ministry of Culture to come into force, it must have the support of the 16 states. And the Bavarian Minister of Culture, Markus Blumehas already made it clear that any reform in the operation of said commission must be accompanied by a new law on restitution of cultural property looted during the Nazi period. Roth, however, opposes a new law, saying it will take too long to draft, negotiate and implement.

When the Nazis occupied Poland during World War II, they stole numerous works of art. One of them was, for example, the Madonna with childa beautiful painting from the 16th century attributed to the Italian painter Alessandro Turchi. Only last June did that painting return to Poland, after being returned to the Warsaw authorities by those of Japan, since the painting was in Tokyo.

2024-01-08 04:01:53
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