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Lost Art Foundation project searches small libraries for Nazi looted books

“Nazi-looted books found in German libraries Sensational finds of art works make headlines in provenance research, but books were also looted by the Nazis. Looking for them in small libraries is the goal of a new project….The Lost Art Foundation has organized a program called “Initial Check” in order to enable the search for stolen books in smaller German libraries: The program has tasked three experienced provenance researchers to scour libraries in Saxony-Anhalt, and look for suspicious items. Their aim is to find out whether such inventory items are in fact looted goods…”

See also –

  • Gurlitt Art Trove – “After authorities discovered a hoard of artworks in the Munich apartment of Cornelius Gurlitt, the special taskforce “Schwabinger Kunstfund” was formed in order to clarify their origin, as well as that of other works later found in Salzburg. Its primary task was to investigate whether any of the works in Gurlitt’s possession were illegally confiscated from their owners by the National Socialist regime between 1933 and 1945. The work of the taskforce, for which the German Lost Art Foundation assumed responsibility on 1 April 2015, concluded on 31 December 2015 as planned. In January 2016, the German Lost Art Foundation will launch a new project titled “Gurlitt Provenance Research” which will continue the investigation of the Gurlitt art collection. Research efforts will focus on determining the provenance of works which have not yet been conclusively clarified. Of primary interest are works for which there is a suspicion that they went missing as a result of Nazi persecution or for which such claims have been made…”
  • Exh: Between Definite and Dubious, Liebieghaus, Frankfurt a.M., until 27 Aug 2017 -“…With the aid of twelve selected objects, the exhibition will offer insights into the history of the museum in the years 1933 to 1945 and tell the stories of the people intimately linked with the twelve works. Since 2001, the Städel Museum has been examining its collections with regard to artworks whose owners were deprived of them in connection with Nazi persecution. It was thus one of the first museums in Germany to embark on this task…”

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