“We are sending an unmistakable signal”
The new German Centre for Lost Cultural Assets coordinates the handling of matters relating to stolen art.
The find raised questions: Cornelius Gurlitt, son and heir of an art dealer, had stored hundreds of major works of art in his apartment. Many of them had disappeared during the Nazi era. Who had they belonged to? How did they come into Gurlitt’s possession? And how many works of unknown origin are still in German museums, galleries and collections?
Germany has long been committed to the search for stolen art – for example, with the Lost Art Database. The Federal Government, the states and municipalities have intensified their commitment by creating the German Centre for Lost Cultural Assets. The Magdeburg-based centre, which is run by a foundation, is the most important point of contact for matters relating to art stolen by the Nazis in Germany. The foundation was launched with four million euros from the budget of Monika Grütters, Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media. The Federal Government will provide six million euros for provenance research from 2015. “The foundation is a milestone on the path to clarity about this aspect of history,” said Grütters.
