New publication: Die venezianischen Fälle by Michael Franz

The German Lost Art Foundation presents a new publication in its in-house series: Die venezianischen Fälle. Eine Sammlung fiktiver Fälle zu NS-Raubgut, Recht und Ethik by Michael Franz has now been published in the scholarly series Provenire, issued by the German Lost Art Foundation (De Gruyter, 186 pages, EUR 19.00; also available as an e-book). A book presentation will take place at 6 p.m. on Thursday, 10 April 2025 at Universitätsclub Bonn.

Summary:

The goal of any engagement with Nazi-looted art is to find a “just and fair solution”. But what form might such a solution actually take? And how are cases of Nazi-looted art assessed? Drawing on 15 fictional case scenarios – some of which are set in Venice – the book illustrates how to approach such questions. Elements of “alternate history” such as Antonio Vivaldi’s composition “The Five Seasons”, Leonardo da Vinci’s “Formula of Invisibility” and a 1506 map that mentions a new continent called “America” for the first time serve as starting points for examining and resolving the cases.

The book offers a fresh and engaging perspective on the complex relationship between Nazi-looted art, law and ethics, while also providing practical insights into the topic. The volume is rounded out with sections on the development of just and fair solutions, models for resolution and a draft restitution agreement, as well as documents and bibliographic references.

This fictional casebook is aimed at students of art history and law, as well as anyone interested in Nazi-looted art or in the complex interplay between law, ethics and historical injustice.

“This is a truly exceptional book.” (Prof. Dr. Matthias Weller)

For more information about the book and how to order it, see here. [link]

Invitation to the book presentation:

A book presentation will take place at 6 p.m. on Thursday, 10 April 2025 at Universitätsclub Bonn (Konviktstraße 9, 53113 Bonn). In addition to the author Dr. Michael Franz, speakers will include Prof. Dr. Matthias Weller (Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Professorship for Civil Law, Art and Cultural Property Law), Prof. Dr. Christoph Zuschlag (Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Professorship for Modern and Contemporary Art History (19th – 21st centuries), specialising in provenance research and the history of collecting) of the University of Bonn, and Prof. Dr. Gilbert Lupfer, Executive Chair of the German Lost Art Foundation.

The presentation will be followed by a reception. The book will be available for purchase after the event at a price of EUR 19.00.

To sign up, please e-mail Heinrich Natho by 3 April 2025: veranstaltungen@kulturgutverluste.de.

About the author: Dr. Michael Franz is Head of the Department of General and Administrative Matters and Permanent Deputy to the Director of the German Lost Art Foundation in Magdeburg. He headed the Koordinierungsstelle (Coordination Office) Magdeburg from 1999 to 2014. From 2003 to 2020, Dr. Franz also headed the secretariat of the “Advisory Commission on the return of cultural property seized as a result of Nazi persecution, especially Jewish property”. Since 2006 he has been a member of the academic advisory board of the journal Zeitschrift für Kunst und Recht (KUR). In 2013/2014 he was a member of the Schwabing Art Trove Task Force. Since 2018 Dr. Franz has held a teaching post for “Nazi-looted cultural property, law and ethics” at the University of Würzburg.