25 Years of the Washington Principles on Art Confiscated by the Nazis

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Sponsor(s): Institute of European Studies, German Historical Institute Washington | Pacific Office Berkeley

In 1971, John Henry Merryman proposed a new course at Stanford University Law School entitled Law, Ethics and the Visual Arts. Although initially viewed with skepticism, the suggestion turned out to be extremely successful, giving rise to what is now known as Art Law, which brings together experts from different areas, such as jurists and art historians, who work from an interdisciplinary perspective. One of the most prominent points involving Art Law is the issue of restitution of works taken illegally, a topic that is very relevant in Germany, since thousands of works of art have been taken from their owners - whether due to persecution of a specific ethnic group, a lack of appreciation for a certain style (degenerate art) or even due to the particular conditions of the chaos of war. Some 25 years ago, on December 3, 1998, 44 countries signed the Washington Principles on art confiscated by the Nazis. It is a soft law whose aim is to offer a fair and equitable solution to restitution claims. Its application is centered on the investigation of provenance. The aim of this research is to trace the implementation of these principles from their origins to the present day, illustrated by various cases such as the return of the Adele Bloch-Bauer portrait and the seizure of the Gurlitt collection, seeking to draw parallels with restitution cases involving Latin America.

If you require an accommodation for effective communication (ASL interpreting/CART captioning, alternative media formats, etc.) or information about campus mobility access features in order to fully participate in this event, please contact Ray Savord at rsavord@berkeley.edu or (510) 642-4555 with as much advance notice as possible and at least 7-10 days before the event.