Museumsverband des Landes Brandenburg, Foto: Lorenz Kienzle

History of the Foundation

From the founding of the “Koordinierungsstelle der Länder” in 1994 to the current website relaunch – the most important events in the history of the German Lost Art Foundation.

Contact

Do you have any questions?

Do feel free to get in touch with us directly – whether at the Foundation’s headquarters in Magdeburg or at our branch office in Berlin.
See here for answers to frequently asked questions (FAQ)

German Lost Art Foundation

Humboldtstr. 12
39112 Magdeburg

Germany
Phone:  +49 (0) 391 727 763 0
E-mail:  kontakt@kulturgutverluste.de
Social:

German Lost Art Foundation Berlin Branch Office

Seydelstr. 18
10117 Berlin

Berlin
Phone: +49 (0) 391 727 763 0
E-mail: kontakt@kulturgutverluste.de

The Help Desk offers advice and assistance to victims of the Nazi regime and their descendants on questions relating to Nazi theft of cultural property. Serving as a central and initial low-threshold point of contact in Germany, it is aimed in particular at people whose place of residence is outside Germany and who are unfamiliar with German procedures, especially in connection with cultural federalism. The Help Desk seeks to provide support in taking initial steps as well as providing further contacts and information. We will also be happy to help initiate discussions with museums and other institutions.

German Lost Art Foundation, Branch Office
Dr. Susanne Meyer-Abich
Head of Help Desk

Seydelstr. 18
10117 Berlin

Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 391 727 763 0
E-mail: helpdesk@kulturgutverluste.de

Key events

2023

Relaunch of the foundation’s website

The foundation’s website is relaunched.

www.kulturgutverluste.de

2021

Relaunch of the “Lost Art” website

Web portal „Lost Art“ is relaunched.

www.lostart.de

2020

„Help Desk“

Prof. Dr. Gilbert Lupfer takes up his position as the full-time executive chairman of the German Lost Art Foundation on 15 May 2020.
The Foundation establishes the „Help Desk“ for enquiries about Nazi-looted cultural property.

Help Desk

2020

Proveana

Launch of the research database Proveana.

to Proveana

2019

“Cultural Goods and Collections from Colonial Contexts”

The department “Cultural Goods and Collections from Colonial Contexts” is established.

to the department

2017

Basic research into the confiscation of cultural assets in the Soviet Occupation Zone and the GDR

Succeeding Prof. Dr. Uwe M. Schneede, Prof. Dr. Gilbert Lupfer is appointed as honorary chairman.
The Foundation initiates cooperation partnerships for basic research into the confiscation of cultural assets in the Soviet Occupation Zone and the GDR.

to the department

2016

Gurlitt Provenance Research

The German Lost Art Foundation is responsible for overseeing the “Gurlitt Provenance Research” project.

to the project

2015

Establishment of the German Lost Art Foundation

The German Lost Art Foundation (Deutsches Zentrum Kulturgutverluste) is founded on 1 January as a foundation under civil law; its registered office is in Magdeburg. The Foundation continues and expands the work of the coordinating office (Koordinierungsstelle) in Magdeburg and of the provenance research office (Arbeitsstelle für Provenienzforschung), both of which are integrated in the Foundation.

Dr. Günter Winands (department head at the The Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media) and Dirk Nebel (department head at the Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs of Saxony-Anhalt) are the founding chairmen. Afterwards, Rüdiger Hütte and Prof. Dr. Uwe M. Schneede were appointed as chairmen of the Foundation.

2013

“Schwabing Art Trove”

The “Schwabing Art Trove“ in the Munich flat of Cornelius Gurlitt becomes public knowledge. The Taskforce "Schwabinger Kunstfund" is appointed.

find out more

2008

Coordination Office for Provenance Research

The Coordination Office for Provenance Research at the Institute for Museum Research of the Berlin State Museums, Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, is established, primarily for the purpose of awarding funding to support provenance research; the Academic Advisory Board at the Coordination Office for Provenance Research, headed by Prof Dr Uwe M. Schneede, is established.

2003

Advisory Commission

The independent Advisory Commission on the return of cultural property seized as a result of Nazi persecution, especially Jewish property (known as the “Limbach Commission”) is established.

beratende-kommission.de

2001

Guidelines

Adoption of the Guidelines for implementing the Statement by the Federal Government, the Länder and the national associations of local authorities on the tracing and return of Nazi-confiscated art, especially Jewish property (revised 2007, 2019).

find out more

2000

Lost Art

Launch of the Lost Art Internet Database.

www.lostart.de

1999

Joint Declaration

Adoption of the Joint Declaration by the Federal Government, the Länder and the national associations of local authorities regarding the tracing and return of Nazi-looted art, especially Jewish property.

find out more

1998

Washington Principles

Adoption of the Washington Principles.

find out more

1994

Coordination Office

The Coordination Office of the Länder for the Return of Cultural Property (Koordinierungsstelle der Länder für die Rückführung von Kulturgütern) is established in Bremen (funded by Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein and Thuringia).