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Restitution policy paper
Introduction: International and domestic laws affecting the disposition of victims' assets
Introduction: At dawn ofWWII
International treaties
Hague Conventions 1899 and 1907
Treaty of Versailles 1919
Treaty ofSt. Germain'1919
Treaty of Riga 1921
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I.
Lucille
Nazi era, 1933-1945
a. Internationai agreements
London declaration 1943
11. Moscow 1943
111. Treasury declaration of February 1944
IV. Bretton Woods Conference July 1944
v. October 1944 missive to the neutrals
VI. Yalta Conference 1945
V11. Mexico City March 1945
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Marc
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b. US law
Lucille
1. TWEA
1. Amendments 1940 and 1941
11. Alien Property Custodian Execut~ve Orders 9095, 9788
lll. TD 51072
II.
1945-1955
a. International
1. Potsdam
11. ACC
Ill. FED
IV. Paris Reparations Conference
v. TGC
VI. London Agreement on Patents
vn. Quadripartite agreement
viii. Debate over persecutes, 1947-1950
b. US occupation policy
i. Germany
1. ML 52
2. ML 53
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1-2 case studies by category of assets to be incorporated in body of Section II
Narrative should follow a chronological evolution by country----Algeria, Italy, France,
Gennany, Austria.//AFHQ, SHAEF, USGCC, OMGUS, USFA, HICOG
Conclusion:
Post-1955 laws and decrees
TWEA amendment of 1962 regarding the JRSO
Art restitution case~ of the 1960s-present
TGC gold restitution issues to the present
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DEAL E,R S
1. Buchholz Gallery. 32 East 57th
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Durand-Buel, Inc., 12 East 57th Street,
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Galleries. 63 East 57th Street, New York 22, New York.
Knoedler Gallery, Inc., 14 East 57th Street, New York 22, New·York.
(one copy previously sent)
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Kx-aushaar Galleries, 32 East 57th Street, New York 22, New York.
Macbeth Gallery, 11 East 57th Street , New York 22, New York.
7. Newhouse Galleries, 15 East 57th Street. New York 22, New York.
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Paul Rosenberg and Company, 16 East 57th Street, New York 22,
New York.
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9. Schaeffer Gallery, Inc., 52 East 58th Street, New York 22, New York.
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Weyhe Galleries, 794 Lexington Avenue, New York 21, New York.
Wilderi~tein ~--Comp.5!ny,,, Inc_._,_l.~Eas.t_ j3~th_Street •. _New.
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Package returned - note at this address.
Nierendorf Gallery, eo-iae'i.. . §1ZiR-Si!'eeiT-i:lew-ie!'.I£-B€;-iew-¥erlf.
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The Kende Galleries, Inc., 119/lvlest
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New York 19, New York.
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E. and A.Silberman Gallery, 32 East 57th Street, New York 22, New York.
15.
Parke-Bernet Galleries, Inc., 30 East 57th Street, New York.
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Duveen Brothers, 72fJ Fifth Avenue, New York 19. New York•.
Acquavalla Gallery, 38 East 57th Street, New York 22, New York.
O-uk·18. Jacques~ Seli~ and Comp&Ul1, 5 East 57th Street, New York 22,
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Doll and, Richs:rds, Inc., 140 Newbury Street, Boston, Massac.h.usetts.
Demotte. Inc., 39 E. 51st Street, New York .22, New York.
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Research Topic/Working Title:
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INFORMAnON PAPER
Restitution of ~urrencies
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Deadline for draft report:
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December 17, 1999 ~ +-bMlc. "CUl 0V\i-\-~1 .
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Issues addressed:
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Definition of policy re: restitution of currencies;
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Looted currencies; Law 53 currencies; foreign reserves;
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D~finition and identification of looted currencies; ,~~)
Restitution to national governments versus to IGCR/IRO;, ~
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DPs and confiscation ofcurrencies; ~ ~~--'~.;o<ll!)'1,:4/f:.. !'VIe:,..... <
German currency, th~ir liquidity and the domestic economy;
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"Worthless" currenCIes.
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Prelirriinary Findings:
• Policy implementation showed no deviation from policy directives;
• Approximate valuation: $50 million. (,q"\i- fi'b~) .
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• ' Currencies often represented looted
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The documentation that addresses the issue:
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• OMGUS and HICOG records.
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Researcher:
Date:
Sebastian Saviano
November 30, 1999
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Financial Assets
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", ; " : 'Sntz: NlIgel Fototype . Iledin
Lithos: Carl SchUlte & C. Behling' Berlin
~,~f<! } f .' Druck und Verarbeitung:
',
Suddeu~che Verlagsanstalt und Druckerei GmbH . Ludwigsburt~
Printed in Germany
ISBN 3-7861-1364-5
~tNt<A~'
: ....
~
Auf dem Umschlag: Abb.56
!',
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Mit 86 Abb
<:r3B4 t'\ ~ n.d"k'" n, Wolfg"n. K,:hl<"" . ll.,.,; n
2., unveriillderte Aullnge 1984
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VORWORT .,.:; •. ,.; •••••• ,'.; •• l·,:;~';
"
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:"
BERGUNGSMASSNAHMEN •• ;'; ,".; ,;';
i:
. 1.' Vor Kriegsbeginn (ab 1935) .; ;l:.::~;'H~l!'i;f'i;ir/:r~j·
i\
2. Kriegsbeginn und erste MaBnahmeri::'F~r;<'
3. Ablauf der BergungsmaBnahmen.1939.
,
,1 ..
' ·
a) Innerhalb Berlins ;: ::;:}!. Ti
,
b) AuBerhalb Berlins: ' it,
Planung und Beginn von Atislaf,!;er
4. Evakuierung aus den Fla~ti.irmen
"t.•.
':
",
.; >...~: ';L'~:.J~f: ~""1 ~~, .~. f:t~.. ;t·}!'rji! ;':',;,5;"l1~JI~lii~,'ti'Wj*~J!
II.
'( <
.
~:
Kiillllel-Kw!u, Irene
,. ....: Bergltng - Evakuierung - lUickfiihrtlllg: d. Berliner Museen
,- .,
;" in d. Jahren 1939-1959; e. Bericht mit 43 AnI.!
von Irene Kiihnel-Kunze. - 2., unveriind: Aun. Berlin:
Manll, 1984.
(Jahrbuch Preul3ischer Kulturbcsitz: Sonderb.; 2)
ISBN 3:7861-1364-5
NE: Stiftullg Preul3ischer Kulturbesitz:
, Jahrbuch Preul3ischer Kulturbesitz/Sonderband
I, •
J.,.
.
"~ ~
,
1. Am Ort der Bergwerke:'Besetzung durch
amerikanische' und britische 'Atmee::
2. In Berlin: Besetzung durch: die' sowjetischeh t::. ,."
'fruppen ..... . ,\ . ..... Ith •f,·",·:/~:",,!"iiP. •~'.1;~,,~, • • • • ."42 '
."........ ....
• •••••••••••• •••
..
,''".·•.. P7;~,t'.~·qr~t-if .. ~~r.~):.~~·:}
a) Museum~lDsel ,
... : ; : .. : . : ., ...... ; ; .: 45 'i·
b) Flaktiirme Zoo'und Friedrichshairi··)::'L~i .• '. :'. :~:
c) Weitere Museumsge~aude und Depo'tS~-,/r;;-::
3, Zustand der Gebaude ndch Beendigung'iler
".'
Kampfhandlungen (mit Liste del' amerikanischez
und englischen LuftangrilTe) .. ; : ; . ; ; ; ; . ',; ; . : ~ ... ~-,~
CIP-Kurztitelaufnahllle der Deutschen Bibliothek
\
~i~
WAflREND DER KAMPFHANDi.bi-mEN
V' ~
,i.
':',; "~~I'~i? :'.:,;
fi.APlTULATION ,.(••• " •••••••• ; •••••. ;..
':i.
. ..r.)
�:-::"
"r,
. ; '• • !A)l •.
NACH DRR OBERGABE ••••••••.••••••••••••••••••••.•
.,
"
:
:<-
",\<,
"
,,.
.
52
:'1,. Bergungsgut 'fan der amerikanischen Armee
" .iibernommen ............................ , ...... : 52
a) Bergwerke,Kaiseroda/Merkers und Hattorfl
.Ransbach ................... ................. 52
b) 'Oer Aralseh.:rransport ............ ,.......... 55'
t" e) BergwerkBernterade bei Heiligenstadt ...... , 54
2. Bergungsgut von der britisehell Armee
iibernammelli.................................... 55
a) Bergwerk Grasleben bei Helmstedt ........ ;.. 55
. ' b) BOI'gw~I'k Schlillohcclt nil dm' l.:IIm (hoi
Magdeburg) ................................. 58
5. Weitere Auslagerungsorte westlieh und ostlich
von Berlin ...:........ , .................. '. ........ 59
4'. In Berlin naeh Besetzung durch die sowjetische
Armee ......,............................. ; ....... 61
a) Flaktiirme 'und Museumsgebiiude, Tresor Neue
':'" Miinze ... .i ................•.................. 61
b) Die Abiranisporte ............................ 71
'"
;'.1·.. ·
.' ..... :,
:-.
.~
"
;
i:
)
,
'I ".
. Iv.
NEUE VERWALTUNGEN (NACH DEM
8. MAl 1945) ....... 76
:!; ( . L Der Magistrat von Berlin ilbernimmt die
....
ehemals Staatlichen Museen. Subst'anzerhaltung
und Beginn neuer Tiitigkeit. ......... , ........... 76
. a) Wissensehaftliche Arbeit .... . .... ; ..... ,.... 82
b) Bestandslisten 1945 ......... ,.; ........ ,..... 85
."f;.
c) Restaurierullgsaufgnben ., .. " .. "., .. : ... ,',. 86
'd) Museumstlitigkeit: Nellel' Allfnllg . , " , .', .. , ,." 87
2. Elmmg dol' Westllliichl.c ill iledin 'Icilung del'
Stadt in vier Sektoren " .. ,",.," ............... 90
5. Die Westmachte in ihren Zonen - Anlage von
zentralen Sammel-Depots ........................ 94
a) Amerikanische Zone: Depot in Wiesbaden
;y~~_~ . (Landesmuseum) ............................ 95
: 'b) Britische Zone: Depot in SchloBCelle ..•..... 98
. c) Franzosisehe Zone: Depot der Universitiit
". Tiibingen ...... , .. ,.,', ...... , ... , .: ......... .' 102
~;
:
'?i
...
'. '-~'
:'
j;~.. .l..
4. Besondere Vorgang~ (amerikanisehe und ·:lil.1 ,!(\::::(~
.,
I . , , , ....... l';.~ -. ·it.. ,t ......;
b ntIsc h e Z one) .. ',' ,. , . .', '. ,'j ••• '.~'.• , •.';';11,.,. , •.•.•• ".".1'0'2 .
a) Oberf'rlhrung von 202 Bilderri aus:demQ~pot~
in Wiesbaden nachWashington; .1,}!1 ;.' '0. '(ii .. ~:.
(November 1945) •.. , ;;; ... ;; .. r.T~;'; ';.:~;:. ; • ':'
b) Deutsche Konsultallten hei ded(unstab~e\lung;
. '. der Amerikanischeh Militiirregi~ning~;.;fi~t.':'f
, .... , . , '~-;'::'~' ..":-. (~
.
e) Golddiebstahle in SchloB Celie': H\:";'Hf;; ;', : ;'d07
5, Sowjetisch besetzte Zone l . ; ; ; ; . ;'•• , ; ; ; : ;':h :1•• :" '
, ': !"'~,.i',:/"'~:)l;~;,.··~'i;i;~i,~;;",·~,:i(.i';;i<-:q:f
v. Ill!! 7,un SPALTUNO BIIRLINS; ·DAS JAHR 1948.~h:.,fr~
1. Die Sarnmel-Depots der Westmllehte In.~~Q·t;·
Westzonen ... : .. ;;;;.;;; i.;', :. r:; :,·..;;h·:'::':"~;:,i:
a) Ausstellungstournee in Amerika·ui1.:I;R"~;.ke,Il.r
der 202 Bilder nach·Wiesbaden i948;49a~\!
b) Obergabe der Depots in deutsche
.
.
,~,.. '''':'''''' • '.' i , U': •
. verwaI tung 1948/49 .....•.... , . I '.:;';';.:';.{",
c) In Berlin: Obergabe des Jagdschi~S8e}i.i.ti~:::.!4b~,"'_,.
·
. , .;,; ....;""",.• ~, •..
Grunewa Id an d en M aglstraV;·":;!:l.'l'm:~ff!ti~! ;;:',
2. me Museen in Berlin. Tiitigkeit·und .Ge~~tl ,
situation 1948 bis zur Spaltung Berlins:'.:l;'~:'~ti1~ .~::. .
o. Die Spaltung BerUns (November 1948),; ;:;:",,;,t'~ :'. ,,-:;i29
:1".'
1 i.
:
l!,"
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~
1...
,
. ... - .
' - , ;'"
VI. AUSWIRKUNG
. ~ ·:.. :n~'~,f: ;l'l·,:··d~1;t~\:;Hfi;'!{;ij,r
DER SPA.LTUNG BERUNS AUF'1!' " ,
DIE MUSEEN ••••••••
il':
1
'\L
:il':-:- .
~': ~.
i ••••••• ;.
i:;:;:; •• ; i'.;;
.:,".';):
:'131
1. Obergang eines Teiies der Museumsverwalt!J1lg
naeh West-Berlin ....... ;; .. '.'. ;; .. ;,.-! i l ,:. '. : . ; • ; • ;:t~J
2. Beginn der Musccn unter dem neu geblldelEln
Mngistrnt in West-Derlin ..... ; .; ;, ,: : . : :-::~; ..••
o. Gebliud~ und /Raumfrage .: . ; . '. ; .',' l •• ,,; : .'; ; '.:': •..•• )~8
( ,
' •.'i·w·!
.".
',~
: ..
jt"J"l.
IN W&ST~BERLIN 1949/50 ... • ; .!; ; ,'. ; :. :.,' ..... i55
1. Entscheidung fUr Dahlem .. ; . ;;.;. :'; '''i, .! ,.".... ':155
2. Fiihlungnahme mit den Treuhandstellen tilld . '.,
Eingabe ah die Bes~!7.,ungsmaehte wegen' ~iiek~~
fUhrung und Ausstellungen in Berlin':';.; .. t. ;:::;.: i~9
~. Entseheidung fUr ei~e ~rste AU8stellung ~n ,a~rlin;t~lr
mit ausgelagerten Bestiirden (Gemail:!.!'!.. ti~ff
,~l~}
Skulpturen) .•<.. ;.. , :j':.: ',';. i.:.,:; :l :'; .::..':. ,;. i~,162
Del' geforderte Leihvertrag .. ;.; .... : : !,,'; .": : : • ;; ;(164
VII. AUFBAU
~'<J'
:;"
.. :; ,
J
�. ':
4. Die Ausstellung und die Erfiillung der
Leihvertrage ...................................
a) Ertiffnung und Darbietung .................. :.
b) Die befristeten Leihvertriige und dcr "Bcrliner
Bilderstreit« ....................................
5. Bemiihungen bei den Treuhiindern und der
Bundesregierung urn Einschaltung Berlins in die
treuhanderische Verwaltung .....................
6. Erfassung »PreuBischer Kulturbesitz« : ..........
i
176
176
,.
:.,
~ ; "; J
:-',
187
189
~,
.'
~
5'
:
'
;.;.
'",
~~:- I
. (1951-1955) ................................... 208
3. Bautatigkeit und Raumdisposition in Hinblick auf
die angestrebte Riickfiihrung . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 224
4. Besondere Vorgange ........................... 225
':
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..
.~ .:-,1
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ti.
f:..;
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~..
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.:~:
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X. VRRWALTUNGSVRREINBAR'UNG DRR PREUSSISCHRN
247
247
253
255
'
IN~
"1~~
238
240
244
!
XI. DIE RUCKFUHRUNG NACH § 7 DRR
VERWALTUNGSVRRRINBARUNG ........... : ........ ; .. 261'
1. Grundsatzliches zur Riickfiihrung ............... 261 .
2. D ie zuriickzufiihrenden Bestiinde und ihre
Unterbrjngung in West-Berlin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 265
a) Ubersicht iiber die zuriickerwarteten Bestiinde 265
b) Aufnahmefahige Gebaude in West-Berlin .... ' 266,
3. Organisation und Ablauf der Riickfiihrung .. , .. .
. a) Erste Ertiffnungen mit z,uriickgefiihrten
Bestanden .......................... '.' '" ....: 271 'l.l
. b) Einrichtung vorlaufiger Depots .... .'.......... 283.:_
c) Weiterer Ausbau in Dahlem .......... ; ....... 290;', "
~
'.~ £.
4. Die Ausnahmen von der Riickfiihrung .... ; ......,. ~9.3.~.::.·
5. Die Sonderregelung fiir die Riickfiihrung der ,.- ..">.".,,
, Bestande aus den Schltissern von Berlin ~d .
..
.
.
. .
. . : ! ,.:
~. t
Potsdom ........................... , ......... ,. 298 r .
6. Entwicklung der Museumstiitigkeit in der Zeit
der Verwaltungsvereinbarung 1956-1959 .....:. ;'; 302'·· .
7. Blick nach Ost-Berlin ............. ; .. ; ... : ..;. '. ;1 314 ' "
.
)}'
225
232
236
j.".
NACHFOLGRLANDER YOM 7. JULI 1955 .... ;;.; .......
,I: 'Entstehung und Wortlaut ............. : .........
2. Die kOlistituierendc SitZl1ng 0111 11. I. 1956 .......
3. Aufstellung der »Richtlinien« fiir die Treuhand
verwaltung gemiiB § 1 . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
:~.~', '
'~ ~,}
.:i,
ZEIT DER LEIHVERTRAGE 1951-1955 ................. 198
1. Bemiihungen urn Riickgabe des wissenschaft
lichen Mntcriols ................................ 199
2. Die weiteren Ausstellungen auf Leihvertrng
. a) Der Kaiser-Friedrich-Museums-Verein und
seine Kunstwerke ............ ; .... ::........
b) Der Botticelli-ProzeB ..............•.........
c) Zeitschriftcn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
d) Vertiffentlichung eines Gesamtiiberblicks
»Die Berliner Museel1« (1953) ...... ;........
e) Ankaufstiitigkeit ................... ; .........
f) Institutionen in Verbindung mit den Museen.
~.
I
·.ix. DIE MUSEUMSTATIGKEIT IN BERLIN
. r~5f ~
.. ~
180
VIII. REGELUNG FOR DEN PIIEUSSISCIIEN "KULTUIIBES'TZ
ENTWOIIFE AUF BUNOES- UNO LANDEIIEIlENE An 1950 191
,.... , . 1. Entwiirfe fUr Bundesgesetz und Gegenentwurf
der Lander ... ; ................................. 192
2. Vorschlage fUr Verwaltungsabkommen
194
~t.~. ~
4. Der FachausschuB gemaB § 3 ...............,... .
5. Die Geschaftsstelle des Verwaltungsausschusses
in Berlin ............................ '.' .... ~ '.. . 259
I.i;:':';-
"\
.
't"
;
XII. ABLtisUNG DRR VRRWALTUNGSVRRRINBA~UNG miRct!···· ,~:.:;~)j'·1·
DAS BUNDRSGRSRTZ ZUR ERRICHTUNG RINRR STH'l1.lNG·:·lc~ ,,,
"PREUSSISCHRR KULTURBESITZ«; ............. ;':,. ;;'. ,"":320 ::"
1. Das Gesetz und die Entscheidung des Buqd~s" '.",o"i;;':;\"·
verfossungsgerichts .............. ;.,'; .. ;;;;;.; .. ; •.• 320 .
2. Die Zwischenzeit bis 1962 •.... ;• ..... ;;.;. j'; ;';; .;321'
I
3. GrundsatzbeschluB zur Bauplanung ....... , •....
~.
ANLAGEN zu KAPITEL I-XII ... :,.; ..... ; •.• ::.:. ~:.!:~.
Verzeichnis der Anlagen .......... : : ....... i • ; .• :,:,
Anlage 1-43 .' {,~ ............ ; .. : •. : •. : .~. ',' ; : ;;1; '; .. ::~ ..
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�RE~~~OU~EO AT THE, NATIONAL ARCHIVES,
.,.
.'
80
.
.
" Spoils of War. No.5. June 1998
Successor ("sukcesor"): a natural or legal person or a religious congregation which
may seek return of an item, an entry selected from the dictionary or added to it by
the person entering the data.
'
Country of safekeeping, institution, address ("kraj przechowywania", "instytucja",
"adres"): the information .concerning the whereabouts of the item 'sought is entered
here.
Bibliography ("bibliografia"): an entry selected from the dictionary or added to it by
the person entering the data.
Iconography ("ikonografia"):, see above, the information about illustrations or
drawings representing the item lost is entere~ here.
Archival materials ("archiwalia"): an entry selected from the dictionary or added to
it by the person entering the data.
#,,;r
So far 35,783 pieces of information about the lost items have been entered into the
'program (more than 10 thousand referring to archeological relics are in another
program prepared for this Department). In the five year perspective it has to be ac
knowledged that, despite several minor corrections and changes in the program's
original version, it plays its part and hence meets the user's expectations.
Monika Kuhnke, Office of the Commissioner
for the Polish Cultural He,ritage Abroad, Warsaw,
From December 6-20, 1997 I researched relevant records in the National Archives
of the United States of America with the aim of establishing whether they contained
any indication that in the Second World War the American Government had inten
tions or even plans to remove German cultural material to the U.S.A as reparations
or compensation. The. investigation was prompted by assertions in historical jour
nals that towards and after the end of World War II one of the tar~ets of American
military policy had been the systematically Rlarined seizure oCd~man cultural ma
- - _ . - - - .- -'- ----.---:--.. -,,--.....,.......-----~-terial. I
-_.
After a sY$tematic check through hundreds of relevant records it can be said that
there is ~~ thill!te American._GQY_crnmenLha.d sucJLp.!ili.!i?!ll!U~ntions. The
analysis of the files also P-IQvided information about the treatment of German cul
tural objects and art treasures that could be useful in negotiating th£.return 01. G~man cultural material from other countries in general and from Russia in particular.
.----'Records from military and civil provenance's with information relevant to the re
search mission were found especially in the following record groups:
~---
--
RG
RG
.~ .~ .~
~~ ..
165
331
'
.,-,,-~,-~--~--------
War Department General and Special Staffs
Allied Operational And Occupation Headquarters, World War II,
Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force '(SHAEF)
/
�Spoils of War. No.5, June 1998
RG
239
RG
RG
RG
RG
218
226
84
260
81
American Commission for the Protection and Salvage of Artistic and
Historic Monuments in War Areas
U.S.Joint Chief of Staff
Office of Strategic Services
Foreign Service Posts of the Department of State
Office of the Military Governor, United States (OMGUS)
It would be beyond the scope of this report to provide a detailed analysis of the re
cords researched in the Nation~l Archives.' At this point it must be emphasized that
tracing the relevant records was considerably facilitated by the provision of exten
sive finding aids, which in connection with the cll:rrent discussion about the origins
and whereabouts of the so-called "Nazi gold" are becoming more and more sophis
ticated and are continually brought up-to-date. The classes and file references listed
in these finding aids included all the relevant records needed to carry out the inves
tigation. 2
Besides single targets within la[ge scale m.ill!arY...QR.~ratiQJ.1s it is above all .!~hno
logical and industrial institutions (including factories for the production of arma
ITi"ents, for the manufacture of various metals, chemicals etc., iaboratories for chemi
cal and biological warfare, the findings of technological research at universities and
institutes), as well as persons who were members of the NSDAP or. held important
offices, that are among the many targets from the months August 1944 to May 1945
traced in this investigation. Furthermore, in- American wartim~strategy against
Germany ministries, government agencies and NazLorganizati,ons_aLaILadministr:q
lL~e levels within thtLbou_nd..aries_QLthe.Reich-w.ere_consider.ejLC!~)ni1i1~y ta~g~ts;
~
#
, ... ~he target-lists also included libraries housing collections of important research lit
~. erature on processes and developments in the t~chnical' sciences' or holdings of N a
tional Socialist propaganda literature) The archives ;am~d in th'e list clearly refer t o '
the current administrative records of German government agencies and organiza- A#CI./
tions. Historical archives or mu~eun:.s. are 22~il!S:J.y"de.?,.~_~i~~.tar..g::s~.
.A
40
'\
4
evnfuVtJ;;
r(txu;t.
Considering the numerous official documents on the goals of American policy con- I
cerning cultural objects and works of art before and after the end of hostilities, there
are no grounds for assumptions that German cultural objects were included as tar
gets but.s0l!ld not be, trace.d lr:.~!1~Y.t.hpl~~~s. American Government
directives to U.S. Army units as to how to proceed on finding German cultural ma
terial show that t.here were _Qo plans to rem,ov~j~ t.9 me UE.!~~ate~. Principles for~..o '
the treatment of foreign and German cultural material found by the American troops iW~
in Germany were only developed during the proC?~S of the occupation of Germany, ~
in liaison with the British Government. Their (~ssential aim was· to track do~n C--a~,
.
treasures looted by the National Socialists in other European countries and to trans~ ~~";'
~.
fer them to Central Collecting Points in the Occupied Zones, with the intention of
~rning them to their countries of origin. German cultural treasures from other
parts of Germany that were found in the process were to be treated in the same way,
whereas "art treasures which are lndig~IJ..9.lJ.S to the Region or which were already
there in private or piililic collections sl:!2.uld remain where th~y are" .5
•
•
4
•
_ _ &'01""
,
__
~
-
,"
�'.
~
~E!'.~EO Ar THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES:" . , ,: :
.~--~ .. ~J. :",,";-!;:~'-=:f~~~,~.t~~~!"'!~~~-::·
'''''''
82
. Spoils of War, No.5. June 1998
I·
t
An' Ame'rican Government decision to transfer 202 paintings from the Collecting
Point in Wiesbaden all except two came from the Kaiser Friedrich Museum in
Berlin (among others Botticelli, Cranach,' DUrer, Holbein, Rembrandt, Rubens, Ti
tian, Tintoretto, van Eyck) - to the U.S.A. was a deviation from these principles.
,
LJ Despite the official announcement that the paintings could be better safeguarded in
.
. , . ~. the United States than in the Collecting Points and despite the assurance from the
..
~? Military Government that they would be returned to Germany there were ~elibera-l J~. ~
~
0\,
tions within the American Government to ~onsider these works of art as a _basis for /~lf':~~:~:"". '
:reparations to the United States.1'Iie-dedsimrtoffanSport the paintings to ~.,
t e .S.A. led to the famous "Wiesbaden Manifesto" in November 1945 in which ~
.,
..
.
r
the Kunstschutz officers of the Military Government (the late Walter Farmer) pro
'tested against the removal of German art treasures from Germany . The consequent
I
uproar and criticism in the American public against the decision certainly contrib
uted to persuading the American Government against removing further German
cultural objects and art treasures t6 the U.S:A. The paintings were shown in the
U.S.A. in numerous exhibitions (about 10 million visitors); the proceeds were do
nated to German aid organizations. In 1949 the paintings were returned to Germany.
They remained first in Wiesbaden and were finally transported to Berlin in 1955 - to
the Dahlem Museum in the U.S. sector of Berlin, not to the Museum Island in the
RusSIan sector.
II
8
~
,
I
~
,
The circumstances and consequences of the r~moval of the paintings to the U.S.A.
are well-kown. 6 The motives behind this case of an official transfer of German cul
tural property to the U.S.A. are not however to be found in a preconceived plan.
The removal was not a target and !!QUhe action_of a "trop..hy"'£ommissip.!!" but pnly
an isolated decision, made 'against the background of the failure of the Allies to .
c--
agree on a common reparations policy and can also be seen in relation to the mas
sive removal of German cultural material from the Soviet Occupied Zone to the
U.S.S.R.7
In general one must agree with the .contents of an American Military Government
memorandum of spring 1947 ..It mentions the outrage of the American public at the
transfer of the German paintings to the U.S.A. and concludes: "From the time of the
occupation of Gern1any, we have assumed custodianship over German art treasure.
Beyond the return of art property looted or acquired during (and as a consequence
of) the Nazi' aggression, we regarded art property of Germany as sacred. Vi.e have
laken an acti\~.e_s.tandjn.J:he 12rotectiQn_an.d_safe.gua.t:.diI:m .of cultural.. m~teriaLin the
name ofhUlnan rights ang civilization".8
'
..
Credibility is lent to this account by the i!!.tensive efforts of the American Military
Government in Germany to investigate th.~_Il.lJJn~o.ui;jh.~fts_oLG.(~nn-f.l.Jl cu!tura!..2 b
jects and works of art by American ArmY_12ersonnel,. to punish the offenders and to
-r--,
.
return the cultural objects when found. In the records of the Military Government
there are extensive lists with descfi12tions of stoien cultural objects .
and works of art,
...
...,.
including details of w..h.er.e_and-wh@Fl-th@y-wer,e-stolen.2....There is also a list of the
treasures of the Quedlinburgchurch that were stolen iri 1945 by an American sol~.
.
"
I
I
I
r
f
r
I
~.
�Spoils of War. No.5. June 1998
83
dier. The criminal investigation into this theft by the American Military Government
at the time was unsuccessful. I 0
.
In connection with the thefts the correspondence of the Military Government makes
a point of emphasizing that the United States is committed to adhering to the Hague
Convention of 1907. 11
.
.
How important it was for the American Military Government to comply with the
Hague Convention can also be seen from further documents, .2jscussing the funda
ir!ental question ~ :vpat extent cttlturill.ll~~C;~.!.£:! Qe "w!l~ b~0!y~~~2hy
Qf wftI:. The inquiry from the Economics Division, February 13, 1946 was an
swered immediately by the ~gal Divisiqn on February 14, 1946'with reference to
Article 56 of the Hague Convention of 1907: "The answer is in the negative, regard
less of where the works were captured and whether they were publicly or privately
owned".12 A further request of July 19,1946 asked the Legal Division for its opin
ion on the relationship of thed~,Qt[dJLmAgreemenCof~f915 tothe tIag,qeConv0Ii0.E)
of 1907 with respect to cultural materials as Rossible reRarations or as "replacement
in kind!!.13 On January 1, 1947 there followed.the request for an opinion on the
question .as to whether one of the' four occupying powers had the right to remove
indigenous archives, records and documents-from Germany, although tht;y did not
come under the existing legislation of the Allied Control Council regarding confis
cation - it was a matter of archival material from the 16th to 19th centuries. 14 The
Legal Division answered with a- ctetillled memorandUlp 8~:~ch"J.?-,-1.2.41.. J 5 It
stated first of all that the Supreme Commanders of the Occupied Zones of Germany
received their powers from their respectiv~gQy'ernments, acted therefore as repre
sentatives of their governm~~ere also bound to the international agreements
recognized. by their governments. The four occupying powers in Germany had
committed themselves to observing the Potsdam Agreement and. the Hague Con
vt:ntion. The Hague ConY..ention was international law, biIlfllilg for the USSR, too,
as they had recognized it in connection with the Nuremberg war trials. The memo
randumthen explained that the Allied Control Council, with ·its directive of May 13,
1946, had agreed on the confiscation of literature that contained National Socialist
and militaristic propaganda.
However, the removal of historical archives from Germany by an occupying power
was a breach of international law according to the Hague Convention, unless an oc
cupying power could provide clear and convincing_proof that paramountyublic '~n
terests would be served by the remo!::!!.IJ!!!flJb.~l)£"P.!Ll;tl1.9_SQD-§cie.!1~ would accept
SUCh a removal":"""rn"theCase of N~tioI}al Socialist and militaristic i'ft'erature stich
'proofexrsTeaand was accepted as valid by the four occupying powers. As to the
question of the treatment of cultural material as war booty the memorandum is ex- .
:[
.(1
R!ic!!: "'War booty' amd 'tr0Ehles
of'Y~.r: arp.I9:!.!!§..illllll icalJlum!l:...t£ situations exist- ~.
ing during hostilities. In any event ... that if works of art were to be confiscated in .
Ge'"'iTila"rl);"-;&;:";u~;e~der, ~uch confiscation would have to be based upon proof by
the confis~ powerthat a".}ll!blic interest is served ~Y.. the removal which would .
constitute justification in the public conscience. We think, with respect to works of
<.:.
�84
Spoils of War. No.5. June 1998
art, as with respect to archives, that seizure without compensation could be justified
~9JM-~ ~h!.I~th.t.);y'9..rks of <ttt had iuJll..tJir§t iJ.l.§1~pc.t~~l}w.~suired in or removed
from anothtlLcountrx...QyJ.9~_Qr.,dJlr.e.ss.~ A eublic interest thatw~oul(rTUstltyrgiiOring a ban on the removal of cultural material from Germany founded on fundamen
tal principles of international law hadhoweyer not been expressed by anyone of the
occupying powers. The memoranaum closed with the st;te~~n"E i;We(:To';;~·Wr;hto·
i~harSuCh-public interest may not exist or may not ultimately be expressed.
Archives and works of art ~ghLbe decl'!.~g lS!gili~J~£!§~ seizure for repa~
rations.~t ~the absence~f a declaration ~J.lm2.Y..D.J-.I2-ilblj~iliterest in the re
moval of such pr~perty we can conclude only that the unilateral expropriation of the
same by anyone of the occupying powers at this time would constitute a breach of
international law."
:.::.. --..
,----...---..
Kai von Jena, Federal State Archive, Koblenz
Notes:
In his essay "Wehret dem Unrecht, wo es sich zeigt: Kulturelles Erbe als Trophae des Krieges.
Geheimdepots mit Beutekunst", Eleusis 2/April 1997, p. 15 Klaus qoMmann states that the Soviet
army could seize only a few of those treasures named in their target-lists because by 1945 the
Germans had evacuated most cultural material of national importance to the west of the country.
As a result the U.S.S.R. confiscated many m.ore cultural objects of a 'lower' quality than originally
planned. On the other hand US-T-Force.Lw.e..!:e able to 'secure' almost all of those cultural objects
. on the target-lists they had drawn up i(!21JLCf. also Magdeburger Museumshefte NO.5 (1995),
.......",...
p.46.
. 2 U.S. and Allied Efforts to Recover and Restore Gold and Other Assets Stolen or Hidden by Ger
many During World War 11. Finding Aid to Records at the National Archives at College Parle
Prepared by Dr. Greg Bradsher, National Archives and Records Administration, College Park,
Maryland. The Interagency Group on Nazi Assets Coordinated by Stuart E. Eizenstat, Under-Sec
retary of Commerce for International Trade, Special Envoy of the Department of State on Property
Restitution in Central and Eastern Europe,. May 1997, Rev ised and Expanded October 1997.
11 3 Documents relating to confiscated book holdings in. RG ~60/~roperty DivislgE!.I~Lfol2.~E.Z~.. _.
!J.-,("Library of Congress Mission").
. ' . .
.
4 Collections of target-lists in tillJl4/4.Q..and 37, RG 16512051 and RG 260/ProQer!y'_Divi~.l.9.!!!.Zf..Q
and RG 3311137,139,144-146,152-153. Cf. also the memoranda, Nov. 4, 1944 in RG 2261210
and Jan. 11, 1945 in RG 226/209.
5 American and British statements about the treatment of the German aJ)d foreign cultural treas
Relating to the procedure of resti- .
ures discovered in their zones (June 23, 1945) in RG
tution cf. the memorandum, Sept. 24, 1945 ("Restitution Policy and Procedure") in RG
260/Property Division1722 folder 1, and also "Restitution Branch Report" (Sept. 1947) in' RG
260/Property Division1703.
.
6 A detailed account in Lynn H. Nicholas, The Rape of Europa. The Fate of Europe's Treasures in
\ the Third Reich and the Second World War, New York 1994, pp. 382-409. Further relevant docu
ments in RG 260/Property Divisionl157 and RG 2601 Adjutant General/9, folder 4 and 344, folder
3.
.
7 Lynn H. Nicholas, p. 386ff. - Cf. the undated note "Additional Observations" in RG
2601 Adjutant General/9, folder 6. SUlllmaries of rep0l1s about the removals of collections from
German museums in the Soviet Occupied Zone and in Berlin by the Soviet authorities in RG
260/223, Report LB-313, June 3, 1946 ("Museum Colt.ections Taken to Russia") and RG 260/227,
Memorandum, March 18, 1948. ("Removals of Cultural Objects and Works of Art by the Soviet
Authorities").
8 Memorandum "The German Museums and the War" in RG 260/230, folder "Public ReLations".
I
l
@-
:fo":?'
�.. . ...
, ( ~J~~clQj\ \~
Spoils of War. No.5. June 1998
85
.
t
49
Lists, March 1, 1947, with detai Is of 1 Raintillgs stolen between A Iand December, 1945 in
RG 260/Economics Division/] 15, folder 7 ("Art Looting by American -el'S01~lle.J..::L!urther docu
;k.
Pments re\~!ing to the~ts }n RG 26Q@?, Economics Division~~O/Legal Divis~230, 234 and
235, also RG 260/AdJutant Genera1l809, folder 13 (Information Brref;-February, 25, 1947 "Return
of Looted Objects of Art to Countries of Origin").
10 RG 260/Economics Di~isioll/224 (Correspondence OMGUS' Bavaria and OMGUS Hessen, Dec.
17, 1947 and Jan. 28, 1948). - Re the tracking down of the objects and their return to Germany in
1,~Q. cLLynll.~ Nicholas, p. 355 ff. and 442 ff.
.
.
(-tIl RG 260:226/(F~. 12, .1~~7, "U.S. to Round Upand Return Art Treasures G.I.'s Took Home") .
. ~-1-2-RG.260LEc0nomlcsDlvlslon/115 (Memprandum "Works of Art as War BootD;;
13 Ibid. ("Relationship of Potsdam Agreement to Hague Convention with Respect to Cultural Ma
terials").
14 Ibid. ("Request for Opinion on Archives as War Booty").
15 Ibid. and RG 260/Legai Division/227 ("Right of Occupying Power to Remove Indigenous Ar
chives, Records and Documents").
'
:
9
*
On May 4, 1998 referring to the German-Armenian agreement about cultural coop
eration of 1995 Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan of Armenia handed over 575
books to his German counterpart Klaus Kinkel at a ceremony at the Foreign Minis
try in Bonn. The Armenian side also expressed its intention to continue to return
large numbers of books to Germany. In 1996, it was Georgia which as the first of
the former Soviet republics returned a large quantity of books and thereby gave an
important signal.
Of the books, manuscripts and scores" owned mainly by the state libraries of the
cities of Bremen, Hamburg and LUbeck, ca. 230 works will return to Hamburg, ca.
100 to LUbeck and ca. 55 to Bremen. The State and University Library of Hamburg,
having suffered severe war losses, welcomes the return particularly. Among the fo
lios are four most precious volumes of church music scores of the youngest son of
Bach, Johann Christian Bach, a number of historical, juridical and theological works
such as a mass book from the 12th century, one of the oldest works returned which
stems from the founding period of the city of Hamburg.
In the 1940s the Gerhlan libraries of LUbeck and Bremen had evacuated their col
lections in the saltmin~s of Plemnitz and Wintershall in Upper Saxony, Hamburg
had deposited them in the stately home of Lauenstein in Saxony. In the summer
1946; the books were shipped to Leningrad by Soviet troops and passed on to the
Library of the Academy of the Sciences in Yerevan where they arrived in 1948.
d'ft The then librarian in charge in Yerevan Hasmik Manasserjanaccompanied now the
w~ll
transport back to Germany. At present all books are in Hamburg where they
examined in detail in regard to their condition and exact provenance.
.
be
'"" '{
.
t'
.'
Christiane Kienle, Coordination Office of the Federal State?
for the Return of Cultural Property Magdeburg
!
I
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~A
PCHA
Consolidated Work Plan, Nov. '99 - Oct. '00
DRAFT 11/26/99
..
-----
--
B
A
Integration into Final
Report
Date
C
Cultural Property Team
Gold Team
(by pri,brity)
D
Financial Assets Team
(by date, bold indicates principal
author of the paper)
\
Team Members 10/99
Team Members 10/99
Team Members 10/99
Marc Masurovsky,Director, Lt.
R. Skwirot, Dep., Ct.,
sen. researcHer,
L. Offen, sen. researcher, f.t.
J. Rodgers, jun. researcher, f.t.
Jonathan Petropoulos, Director
K. Akinsha~ep,.sen. res., Lt.
L. Roussin, s rio researcher
E. Rodgers, jun. researcher, Lt.
A.. Shannon, jun. researcher, Lt.,
Helen Junz~ Director:-- _
E. O'Connor, p.t.historian' CA
S. Sayiano, ft. historian, Dep.
G. Murphy, f.t. senior researcher
H. Sugarman, f.t.arch. researcher
A. Gilbert, f.t. detailee
A. Edelheit, p.t. researcher NY
A. Breslow, ft. assistant
L. Roussin, p ..t. legal advisor
\
\,
\
\
/
\
\
1. custom~ lllidl
Import ( uci _~ **** .
DUE: 111
Nov.99
\
·f" restitution
2. E
0\ _.~Allison, Erin)
UE:
5
;
,A~Ll~-
1
'~/~~ (11/30;
/ \ , onstantin, Allison,
... ,,~+-W~
-. l~ iu;4.r
-
--
,~
~V(\
'\loq~
6",
'Er,
,
4. ChartO~30;
Lucille A \ \ I S\}Y'\
~'
e.g.
1. currency
2. securities
3. tangible assets other than
gold
4. art & cult. objects such as
jewelry, silverware, furs,
etc., as household items
5. real estate
\ I
,
- ~"'~ ~ Srpr
-~
-li..tk ,J-o ~S ...
\,
.
"'I\~
11199
@II
I. U.S. actions re holocaust
victims' non-gold economic
and financial assets in Euro.
Early Deliverable
"
,
v' OM(ffhI)
,
\
Paper on real property under
OMGUS and USACA (late
Nov/early Dec.?)
1
�PCHA
Consolidated Work Plan, Nov. '99 - Oct. '00
DRAFT 11/26/99
I Dec.99
l. Gold hoards in Italy, Gennany,
Austria that did not reach
Foreign Exchange Depository
in Fkft
(Jennifer - Austria; Laura
Italy; Robert - Gennany; Marc
- intelligence records)
DUE: 12/3 prelim. scope of
research; 6/1 final deadline
Records: mil., intel., Anny Staff,
War Dept. OMGUS, OSS, SSU,
classified
,~ ~
~
~"
2. Fate of monetary gold in US
zone of Austria (Jennifer)
DUE: 12/3 - prelim. sketch of
topics to create timeline
~s:
__ . - /
3. Behavior of BIS & McKittrick,
1939-45; Relations btw
FRBNY, central banks of Euro.
& BIS, 1938-45 (Laura, Marc,
Robert, Jennifer)
DUE: 12/3, scope of research; 4/1
final deadline
Records: FRBNY, State,
Treasury, NSA intercepts
11/99
6. Restitution~talY. (12/15;
Konstan~**
)
II. Holocaust victims' assets w/in
U.S.
6. Foreign Funds Control
Paper can be ready by next
meeting of commisso
Time: 2 pers. 6 wks.
+ 1 wk Helen + legal review
7. Alien Property Custodian &
Ofc of Alien Property
- work begun at Suitland
- need agreement from Justice
Time: 6 pers-wks + Helen
2wks
8. Heirless assets present in U.S.,
e.g. bank accounts
Contact Brown Bros. abt.
archives
Contact state banks & pick
sample state
Time: 8 wks. accountant
4 wks. sen. researcher
4 wks jun. researcher
2
�PCHA
Consolidated Work Plan, Nov. '99 - Oct. '00
DRAFT 11/26/99
Jan 00
4. U.S. policy vs. looted monetary' , 6. Returns to Austria
,
Konstantin, Allisoi., Eri~)*
7. ~ Funds Contro 1130;
FRBNYlMint
(
/Treasury; Jennifer
'
ciUe ** ~
. ha
AustriaIFED)
. 8; Website Docs.
DUE: 1/31;
I
~ Konstantin)
Records: as indicated by person \
gold (Robert S. - TGC; Laura-\.
Feb.OO
5. Misappropriations or deviations 7. Transfer of "heirless" property
to av . 1/30-2/15; Allison,
of monetary gold in Euro.
\
(Laura Polish coal trade;
\
Konstantin rin)*****
Marc - Spain, Argentina,
Romanian gold)
",I
DUE: 2/10
Records: State, Treasury, For.
Econ. Admin, ETO, JCS; Slany
rept.
(3)
\
)
/O!.f7AA4-.J..-f
Ie
U.u4 k~j
6. Ustashi gold (Jennifer, Marc)
DUE: 2115
Records:
7. Role of U.S. in settlement of
monetary gold claims at TGC
(Robert S.)
DUE: 2/20
Records: State, Treasury,
OMGUS, HICOG
Mar.OO
11199
~ ..
(rro;k~ )
Germ. & Cent Euro "heirless"
Cult. Prop.(3115; Konstantin,
Allison, Erin)*****
9. Austria: USF A vs. OMGUS
(
9. Includes: evasions of Trading
w. Enemy Act
tracking behavior &
accountability of refugee &
successor orgs & nations to
whom restitution was made
e.g.
JRSO's legislative hist.
(involves work outside D.C.
and by researchers not on
team, WJC and Zionist
Archives)
Track Alien Prop.
Custodian and Alien Prop.
Ofc. "background work ...
virtually complete"
Time: 6 pers. wks +
2 wks sen. researcher
10.· Intellectual property
Time: 6 wks. sen. researcher
6 wks. assistant
3
�PCHA
Consolidated Work Plan, Nov. '99 - Oct. '00
DRAFT 11/26/99
Apr 00
8. Behavior ofBIS & Relations
btw FRBNY, central banks of
Buro. & BIS, 1938-45 (Laura,
Marc, Robert, Jennifer)
DUE: 411 (see #3 for Dec.)
Records: FRBNY, State,
Treasury, NSA intercepts
11. Violations of interzonal
agreernents-~erk~
Konstantin, Alliso 'Erin] **
12. Misapprop. by u~
personnel (4/30; Erin)* **
lr:Behavior ofD.S. Corps. &
indivisuals a9d poss. benefits to
them from aryanization
9. Merkers mine and transfer of
money to Frankfurt (Marc; 2nd
priority)
DUE: 4115
Records: secondary, OSS, Tforces, NSA intercepts
May 00
Jun 00
10. Gold hoards in Italy, Germany,
Austria (see #2 for Dec. 99)
DUE: 12/3 prelim. outline;
611 final (see #1 for Dec.)
11. Gold shipments to neutrals that
were iguored or not sent to the
. gold pool (Marc, Laura,
Jennifer, Robert)
DUE: 6/1, (see #1, 12/3
Records:
11/99
12. Behavior ofD.S. financial
institu. considering London
Declaration
Assessment of 1943 Census
of Assets Abroad underway
(time consuming)
Sample of 600 forms pulled
Other Early Deliverables
1. Paper on non-gold econ and
finan assets under OMGDS and
USACA control, confisca.,
valua., disposi., and ques. re
restitution policies,
accountability of nations and
organizations
2. Paper on Alien Property
Custodian, War repara., &
JRSO (inter alia, how did $3
million become $500,000)
4
�~
PCHA
Consolidated Work Plan, Nov. '99 - Oct. '00
DRAFT 11/26/99
-----
12. U.S. knowledge of Croatian
State Bank gold transferred to
Austria & Italy by Ustashi
DUE:
Records: OSS & SSU, Army Staff
(RG 319), classified docs)
JulOO
13. Law 53 gold included in the
gold pool
DUE: 711
Records: FED, TGC, OMGUS,
HICOG, FRBNY
14. Gold to Argentina (Marc,
Laura, Jennifer, Robert)
DUE: 711
Records:
15. Fate of monetary gold from
NB of Romania which included
substantial victim gold (Marc,
Laura, Robert)
DUE: 711
Records: State, Treasury,
OMGUS, War Dept.
16. Evidence of knowledge by U.S.
agencies of looted gold
shipments to Turkey, Spain,
and Portugal which did not
become part of postwar
settlement (low priority)
Records: State, Treasury, MIS,
NSA intercepts
Timeline: 1 person, 2 months
Aug 00
Sep 00
11199
3. Part I of a paper on Foreign
Funds Control
4. Paper on Alien Property
Custodian, War Reparations,
JRSO, that can address where
fig. of$3 million for U.S.
restitution came from and how
it dwindled to $500,000
5. Part I of a pap~r on Foreign
Funds Control to focus on
blocking, handling, unblocking
assets, interaction with Alien
Prop Custodian, etc.
Insurance left out because it is less
likely to yield useful results.
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103 3d Ave, Bldg. 35
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FAX: 202.685-4570
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103 Third Avenue, Bldg. 35
Fort McNair, DC 20319·5058
(202) 685--2709
DSN 325-2709
FAX (202) 685--4570
E-MAIL: ClarkJj@hqda.army.mll
DSN 325-4570
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Presidential Commission on Holocaust Assets
INFORMATION PAPER.
Research Topic/Working Title: Italian Restitution
Deadline for draft report: December 15, 1999
Issues Addressed:
• WorlgLof-aJ:t..and-culturaLproQ.etty restituted to Italy from Germany by OMGUS
• (~~ definitio~ and implement~~~~L_
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Preliminary Findings: .
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• .Policies regarding restitution of cultural objects to Italy in the post-war period were based
on the shifting political statusofItaly during the war.
• Objects looted or otherwise acquired by Germany after the allied invasion ofItaly
qualified for restitution. This policy did not always apply. .
.' .
• One exceptional case was represented by a gift given by Mussolini to Hitler consisteing
of several renowned works of art. Even though these objects were transferred from Italy
to Germany before July 1943, OMGUS decided to restitute them to the Italian
government.
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. How thi.~ topic satisfies the mandate of the commission and fits into the final report: '.
• Italian restitution cases' may involve works of art belonging to victims.
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The ,documentation that addresses the issues:,
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G 60-0MGUS, Ardelia Hall ,
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Researcher: Allison'Shannon
Team: Art and Cultural Resitution
Date: December 8, 1999
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�Research Topicl Working Title: The Importation of Art During and After WWII
Deadline for draft report: December 16, 1999
Issues addressed:
• Policies and procedures put in place to prevent the importation of art looted by the
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Nazis.
• Military Government Law 52 re: blocKing and control'ling of property and licensing
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The Tradmg With the Enemy Act ICjr"'J- 0U..rS11..J'v?tS
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• The functions and decisions of the American Commission for the Protection and
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. ~~,trt • The efficacy of Treasury Decision 51072, which provided a procedure for
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Efforts of the State Department and Ardelia Hall to effect post war restitution of art
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objects imported by U.S. servicemen.
The routine destruction of Customs records and the availability of documentation
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How this topic satisfies the mandate of the Commission and fits into the final report:
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• All works of art imQorted into the U. S. are subject to Customs regulation. Although ~. . ~
original works of art may be imported duty free, all such objects and their value must oi... J. J,
be declared at the time of entry. The failure to declare an art object or a false
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declaration of the country of origin or value is a federal offense and the object is
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subject to forfeiture.
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• The Roberts Commission ceased operations without identifying a single work of art
as looted.
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statements suggest that the trade in art was more important to them than the
identification of looted art.
• The scope ofT.D. 51072 was not broad enough. Art objects from Great Britain and
any of its colonies or dominions were not subject to control and recent evidence in
Britain suggests a thriving trade in looted art.
• The recission_ofTp. 51072 all0f!..~d~ote~ art tOle~~r t?e U.S. unchecked.
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Researcher:
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Date:
Lucille A. Roussin, Deputy ReseMdl Director; Art and Cultural Property
.... ?~:ember6, 1999.
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Presidential Commission on Holocaust Assets
INFORMATION PAPER
Research Topic/Working Title: Restitution of Securities
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Deadline for draft report: December 17, 1999 .
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.
Issues addressed:
• Securities looted by Germans in en~my-occupied territories
• Problems in restituting securities
•
U.S. attempts to formulate restitution policy re securities
•
Question of restitution of Austrian securities' .
• Restitution to countries rather than individuals
• Country Claims
• Restitution claim deadlmes
• U.S. treatment [rejection/fulfilling] of claims
• Claims ofU,S. citizen's,
• Disposition ofproceeds from sale of assets to IRO,
• Valuation of securities
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Preliminary Findings:
• U.S. Treasury Department makes efforts as early as 1940. t6 prevent looted securities from
entering U.S.
,"
,
• U.S. restitution guidelines set forth in May 1944 states that "as far as securities can be identified as
looted, whether or not individual owners can be identified, they should be subject to restitution."
Determination as to fmal distribution of looted securities to "be made in the country receiving the
securities."
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• Restitution of looted ,seciliiti~s'was to be done on a country-to-country basis "since the
government in question will no doubt take measures to protect the legitimate owner."
• Army transferred discovered securities to FED to await disposition.
• 5-Power Conference in June 1946 allows IGCR [Inter-Governmental Committee on Refugees] to
benefit from proceeds of the liquidation of German assets in neutral countries and the non
monetary gold found within Germany. "Heirless funds to be used for the rehabilitation and
resettlement of Jewish victim's of Nazi action should be made available to appropriate field
_~ organizations."
,
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10.5 billion RM worth of property, 66,4 million RM worth of sec,urities judged to be lo~!ed.
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'. In January 1947, the Joint Chi~fs of Staff instructed OMGUS that securities removed to Germany vCt.\tV\JV"O
,fr9m other countries which were occupied or controlled shall be regarded as loot and that
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, .securities removed to Germany for safekeeping will be returned to government of country from
which removed.
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• Due to disputes with other Allied powers, particularly with the USSR over what exactly
constituted German external assets, U,S.unilaterally begins restitution of securities in 1947. ,
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State Department "exceedingly anxious" to begin restitution to Holland because of the large
amounts involved and "also because prompt restitUtion would contribute considerably to European
. self-help program which this Govt. favors."
.
Restitution of securities complicated by fact that some of the securities were bearer certificates
[used heavily by Germans to cloak actual ownership] and that some of the securities in question
were originally owned by persons who have b~en exterminated and claimant countries would not
necessarily have any record on which to base a claim for restitution.
U.S. stumped by question of restitution oflooted securities issued in Germany and Austria.
FED found it virtually impossible to fmd one single measuring stick for a valuation of securities..
OMGUS cites "heavy demand" on staff ill processing restitution claims.
."
.
.
OMGUS issues directives re foreign restitution mission claims. .
~
OMGUS denied claims it felt were essentially commercial transactions (::::
OMGUS policy held that the claimant nation must prove that removal of securities were by force
or duress.
Examples oflooted securities making their way to the U.S. after the war.
825 claims for more than 500,000 individual securities filed with OMGUS before deadline of
December 31 , 1948.
_ .
Examples of accidently-restituted securities.
U.S. willing to make restitution to individuals in early 1950's to victims "of Nazi persecution."
Securities valued by FED from $1 [Russian] to almost $7 million [French Concordia shares]
The FED estimated $14 million worth of securities had been restituted to various nations from the
U.S. Zone in Germany.
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How this topic satisfies the mandate of the commission and fits into the fmal report:
Securities represented an.important part of looted assets that came under the control ofthe U.S. military.
The documentation that addresses the issue:
RG 260 [OMGUS]: External Assets Branch; Finance Division; FED; U.S. -Element ~ Allied Control
Coimcil; Adjutant General Decimal File; USACA Decimal Files; Property 'Division; Reparations &
Restitution Branch; Economics Division
RG 131 [Alien Property]: Foreign Funds Control
RG 46 [U.S. Senate]: Military Government in Germany
RG 226 [OSS]: Correspondence Of Despres, Economics Division Chief
Domke, Martin, Trading WithThe Enemy in World War II
Department of State Bulletin 21
Researcher: Greg Murphy
Date: November 30,1999
Team: Financial Assets
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Research plan of Art and Cultural Property Section.
RESTITUTION POLICY
The section together with other sections of the Commission is planning to
\ research fonnation and implementation of the U.S. restitution policy after
the end of WW2. However restitution of cultural property had highly
specific ch,a.racter and often cannot be compared to the restitution policy in
general:Th45section researched documentation of Roberts Commission and
now is examining military laws and government decrees of the immediate
post-war period. Special attention will be paid to the-cases of /;1 'trlai-wM
dmplementatien-ef the restitution policy, which·. leaded.. to-violation..oLthe.__
"geneniI...p rindples established by the U.S. government: ~~ ~
1. Restitution to Italy. By 1949 it-was decided to restitute to Italy art
PzS ~ )
works, which were "legally" obtained by the Nazi leaders ita result'
~/
of financial transactions and exphanges before the beginning of WW2.
The U.S. authorities decided to satisfy Italian claims, despite the fact
that Italy was the aggressor country. Such decision provoked
numerous protests in Gennany and protests of the U. S. personnel. The
head of the Collecting Point Munich resigned in protest of such
decision. It seems that the decision was provoked by the political
interest of the moment (Italian elections.) The section is researching
this issue.
2.@'eturnofartworkstoAUStria'In1949artworks,allegedly "of
. Austrian origin~ound by the U.S. forces nMIt Aussee salt rIDne, in
Austria were returned from the Collecting Point Munich to Austria,
and transferred to Austrian custody. The Austrian government took an
obligation to restitut the mentioned artworks to their rightful owners,
however they were not restituted and'fmally under the pressure of
international Jewish,organizations and mass media were sold on
charity auctioI?- as late as 1996. The section is researching transfer of
the looted art works to the Austrian government and its' treatment of
the looted art.
do ?
3. Transfer of "heirless" art worksj!i)the custody of the Bavarian
government. In 1949 - 1952 the U.S. Military Government of
Gennanytransferred thousands of art works, which belonged to the
Nazi leaders (Hitler, Goering, Bonnann, etc.) into the custody of the
Bavarian government. The decision to put them in responsibility of
the Lander Government of Bavaria was taken by the U.S.
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occupational authorities in cooperation with Chancellor Adenauer,
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�who expressed a wish to place the federal board responsible for
restitution in Bavaria, because of the location of the biggest American
collecting point (CCP Munich.) Some representatives of the Bavarian
govenllnent protested the decision and recommended to auction the
artworks belonged to the Nazi leaders and to use proceeds for the
benefit of the victims of Holocaust and political repressions. However
the U. S. authorities refused such idea.
The section is researching this decision. In the same time is necessary
to'check the provenance of the transferred works, because it is
possible that some of them belonged to the victims of holocaust. In
1952-54 the U.S. military government transferred in the custody of the
Federal Republic of Germany some art works of Jewish origin. The
section is researching as the basis of such decision as their fate.
IMPLEMENTATION AND VIOLOATION OF THE PRINCIPLES
OF THE RESTITUTION POLICY. ERRONEOUS RESTITUTION.
1. Restitution of the cultural property of the Baltic States. Because the
U:S. didn't recognize the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states in
1939 it was decided not to return cultural property of Estonia, Latvia
and Lithuania. Numerous libraries and art works looted by the Nazis
in these countries belonged to Jews. They never were returned to their
rightful owners. The section is investigating the fate of the cultural
property the Baltic Jewry.
.
2. The fate of "heirless" Jewish cultural property.~e U.S. authorities
restituted heirless Jewish cultural property to such countries as France,
the Netherlands and Belgium, the heirless cultural property from
Germany and numerous East and Central European states was
transferred to the Jewish organizations. There are indications that in
some cases such objects had rightful owners and an effort to find them
was not undertaken. The section is researching this issue.
, 3. Erroneous restitution. In some cases cultural property allegedly
belonged to the victims of holocaust was erroneously restituted to
such countries as the Netherlands, France, etc. In 1949 Mr. Topic,
who posed as the Yugoslav representative falsely claimed and
extracted from the Collecting Point Munich 159 paintings belonged to
the Nazi victims~1ater claimed by Italian and Gennan
governments. Tije paintings were not found. The section is
investigating thqst1 cases of ~erroneous restitution.
~o~
�..
VIOLATIONS OF THE INTERZONAL AGREEMENTS AND
RESTITUTION OF CULTURAL PROPERTY
1. In 1945 the U.S. Forces)n violation of the Allied agreement on the
zonal division of German)} occupied the area of Merkers and removed
from the repositories situated in salt inines the gold stock of
Reichsbank and hundreds of aintings belonged to the Berlin
.
museums and the victims of the NaZIS. The section is researching the
case and trymg to estabhsh the f~fthe paintings.
.
. APPROPRIATION OF CULTURAL PROPERTY BY Jl1EU.S.
MILITARY PERSNNEL.
1. There are indications of massive looting of cultural property by the
U.S. military personnel in Austria. Attempts ofMF&A to investigate
such cases met resistance of USFA command. The section is
researching this problem.
2. Numerous cases of looting of cultural property in Germany by the
U. S. army personnel are documented. However the U. S. Anny in
cooperation with the Department of State tried to prevent looting and
to restitute the looted objects to the rightful owners. Numerous objects
were confiscated in the U.S. and after attribution by such museums as
the National Gallery in Washington returned to the rightful owners ..
The section is researching this problem.
CfvMA:; //UPt qj ~ ~ ~ ~.
ILICI'JIE IMPORT OF THE CULTURAL PROPERTY BELONGED TO
THE VICTIMS OF HOLOCAUST TO THE U.S.
1. During and after the end ofWW2 many museum curators and art
dealers in_!!!-e U ,_S,!,- de!:'!lonstrated high interest the European art
~ar~et., 'Flie U.S. goveri1iiiettt tried to prevent the ~llic~t import o~the
VlCtlIllS cu~ the country. The sectIOn IS researching
the Customs Regulations of the period and is trying to understand to
which extent the preventive measures were efficient.
~T-Durmg'WW2~d Fo~eign ~~~s .Control collected information
about art dealhsi:f(volved ill the IllICIt Import of art works from
. Europe. It is possible to suppose that many of such artworks later
made their way to the U.S. museum collections. The section is
investigating documentation of OSS and FFC.
J?
�RESTITUTION OF ART WORKS BY THE U.S. MUSEUMS AND .
INDIVIDUALS DURING POST WAR YEARS. PROVENANCE
PROBLEM.
lovt lAS ~
1. Dozens of artworks, looted,tluring WW2, were returned by the U. S.
institutions and individuals to their rightful ~HOweveIj ... CV" ~C)
information about such cases was never colfected~d generalized.
.
The section is researching the cases of return of cultural property of
the victims. The task of the research is to compose the chart of return
of cultural property, covering the period from 1945 to 1999.
2. The section in cooperation with some museums (the National Gallery,
the L.A. County Museum) is trying to generalize information on the
checking of provenance of the museum collections. Such information
could help to understand what percentage of the U. S. Museum
collections haYmcomplete or suspiciQus provenancef.Political
, recommendations how to deal with this issue could be worked out on
the basis of this research.
3. In 1954 the Department of State summarized information about
claims for cultural propelty not satisfied in~ ofthe postwar
restitution effort. The section is trying to create ~omputer
databases of claims, which could help to fmd information about
disap'peared art works, their claimants, etc. Such database could be of
grg[help both for the commission work and for the efforts of the
U.S. museums to chec~rovenance of their collections.
~
THE WEBSITE PROJECT.
The section is planning to put on the commission website reproductions
of the main documents connected with looting by the Nazis of cultural
treasures, belonged to the European Jewry. Among such documents are
investigative reports on the Hitler museum in Linz, Goering cpllection,
etc. The original documents are in the National Archives. Th~seetioft ~
, believ~that the wide access to this historical docum.entation could be of
great help for the U.S. museums; art dealers and other people who are
interested chec~i?rovenance of their art holdings.
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�Subj:
ERIN!!!!!!!!!!
Date: 10/21/993:27:27 PM Eastem Daylight lime
From: Akinsha@email.msn.com (Akinsha)
To: Prezcomm@aol.com
File: Research plan of Art and Cultural Property Section.doc (48640 bytes)
DL lime (53333 bps): < 1 minute
Erin, dear,
Here is the plan of the storm of Paris. Please, read it and call me with
your comments.
Yours,
K.
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�,.
Presidential Advisory Commission on Holocaust Assets in the United States
Art and Cultural Property Team
Research Plan
The following areas have been identified as meriting research and further development. These
areas will most likely fall into one of three areas of the larger art and cultural property section of the final
report-misappropriations by US forces, restitution, or importation and art dealers.
In order of descending Priorities:
1.
Policy
In conjunction with the other two research teams, the Art and Cultural Property Team is researching the
policies that governed the US forces in their handling of victims' assets. For the Art and Cultural Property
such policies can be broken down further into three areas.
Historical reports and analyses U.S. policy regarding the misappropriation of cultural property by armed
forces and civilian members of the occupation administration; on U.S. restitution policy; and on U.S.
,
customs policy, in particular, regarding the import of art.
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Austri~
...•.
.
The research into Austria and the actions of the U.S. Forces in Austria towards victims' assets will be one
~.
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of the most importal1t contributions to be made by this ·Commission. Other research in this area has
developed a picture of how the US behaved in restitution matters based largely on the activities of the
Office of Military Government for the Untied States in Gennany (OMGUS). The need for a critical study
of Austria was made apparent by the experiences highlighted by the Hungarian Gold Train report and
reinforced through the ongoing research into misappropriations by U. S. forces.
3.
Wrongful Restitution to Yugoslavia
In the course of research into the final activities of the Munich Collecting Point it became clear that some
materials had been wrongly transferred to Yugoslavia in .... Through additional research conducted
outside of the National Archives, it was learned that this restitution was not merely a wrongful restitution
�because of the recipient country, but because the restitution was made to an individual not charged with
representing Yugoslavia at all.
4.
Baltic States
Another top priority of the Art and Cultural Property Team is the development of research into the
i treatment of cultural property and books from the Baltic States. The research so far shows that such
materials were not always restituted-most likely due to Cold War considerations.
5.
Chart of Returned Art
A chart summarizing the recovery oflooted cultural property in the U.S. This document will include all
artworks belonging to Holocaust victims that were located in wither public or private collections in the U.S.
and then returned to survivors or heirs. It will extend from the war until the present, with annotations about
the current status of the work.
6.
Database
The construction of a database for lingering claims for art and cultural property materials. The creation of a
central database with outstanding claims will be an essential tool as we research the restitution of materials.
Such a database, if finished at the time, would have been a great help to answer questions as to the
existence of claims for materials from the Hungarian Gold Train. A such claims are listed by the country in
which they were filed, it would have taken many weeks to fully ascertain how many claims for the Gold
Train material still exist.
A database containing historic claims for lost cultural property. Using information from the National
Archives, we will list thousands of items that were lost during the war. This database could become an
important resource for identifying missing artworks.
7.
Cases of Restitution to Review
a.
Austria
�As stated above a large amount of research is geared towards a new understanding of the actions of US
forces regarding Austria. For the art and cultural property team this research will focus on the actions of
US forces but it will also be guided towards evaluating restitutions made to Austria contrary to measures
that were designed to prevent such transfers.
b.
1 In
Italy
most cases, restitution to Italy was unproblematic. However, in certain cases the US made
"extraordinary restitutions" to Italy. Such restitutions centered around the restitution of the goods given to
Goring from Mussolini during the
c.
Federal Republic of Germany
d.
8.
US forces involvement in the Evacuation of the Merkers Mine
A study of the comportment of U.S. forces with respect to the cultural property in the Merkers mine. It is
, evident that U.S. forces had advanced intelligence about the contents of the mine and endeavored to secure
the treasures less they fall into the hands of the Soviet Army. Because Merkers was located in the Soviet
Occupation zone, this constituted a violation of Allied policy. Moreover, the handling ofthe art in Merkers
has never been studied closely.
9.
0)
AIte Ausse Transfer of paintings from Germany to Austria
Dealings in Latin America-Dossiers of Important Individuals
A dossier of figures believed to have been involved in the trafficking of looted artworks through Latin
America. We are summarizing the information available in U.S. archives and hope to cooperated with
national commissions and experts in South and Central America to expand our knowledge of this subject.
Timeline for Progress:
Additional Resources necessary for completion of required task:
�",
,
"
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�...AOL.C9M I AOL Mail
http://web22.aolmail.aol.comlmail. ... ount=2&box=inbox&list= 1-2&read.x= 1
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Subj:
Date:
From:
To:
M
_10f2_
Re: Meeting Notes and a few questions
Thu, 21 Oct 1999 11:57:02 AM Eastern Daylight Time
Jonathan Petropoulos <Jonathan_Petropoulos@MCKENNA.EDU>
Prezcomm@aol. com
Dear Erin,
"
Just rushing ,through my e-mails. You raise great questions.
It's a very useful "to-do" list. Let's strategize next week.
For this week, it would be
if we could l)answer OSI 2)draft
a research plan (remember we're supposed to prioritize too) 3)
prepare documen"ts to go to the Austrian authorities (that I s
perhaps a new one, but in their response, they said, send us what
you have and we'll do what we can ... ). Next week', we
work on
the other things you mentioned.
I personally wasn't able to open the attachment you sent me. I
forwarded it to the
. Sec. and perhaps she'll have more luck
(skill). What was it?
Forward
Best,
JP
Jonathan Petropolous
Associate Professor of History
Claremont McKenna
850 Columbia
Claremont, CA
jonathan_petropoulos@mckenna.edu
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Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 09:00:44 +0100 (GMT Daylight Time)
From: Jonathan Petropoulos <Jonathan Petropoulos@MCKENNA.EDU>
Subject: Re: Meeting Notes and a few questions
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10/21119991:42 PM
�As I discussed with Jonathan on Friday, I have several concerns about the "Progress
Report on the Gold Train."
(1) Pages 18-19: "The numerous loans, sales, gifts, and thefts of the property of the Gold
Train hampered attempts to identify the ownership of the property. Further complicating
matters, the property was repacked, t;tnd the original containers and labels indicating
country and names of owners wer~}ost. "
This statement in not footnoted, and is most likely untrue. As a general rule, containers
were not labeled. lam told that some labels may have existed on a few of the paintings.
But that fact is not substantiated in the report. In any event, even if we determine that a
few of the containers may have been labeled, it is important to be as accurate as possible
in our reporting. The issue of labeling of property, in fact, is critical to the argument on
the treatment of property as "identifiable" versus "unidentifiable. II
(2) Page 20: Within the context of the IRQ auctions in New York, the Report quotes the
New York Times as estimating that the "total worth of valuables captured by the United
:
States in Austria and Germany approximated $4,000,000."
This statement is misleading. A more reliable estimate/source should have been used. In
fact, the total worth of the valuables was many times the quoted figure--probably between
$50 and $100 million, not including gold. And since the Report further states that one
week's receipts from the IRQ auctions in New York totaled over $150,000, the quoted
estimate gives an inexact perspective on the worth of the valuables auctioned by the IRQ
. as compared to the total assets seized by the US. military in Europe.
(3) Pages 27-28: In the context of explaining US. policy towards Hungary, the Report
concludes that "[U]ntil 1948, when the Hungarian restitution mission was expelled from
the US. zones in Germany and Austria, Hungary was actually treated better than some
countries on the free side of the Iron Curtain." The footnote reads: "For example,
paintings valued at $20 million from the so-called "Silver Train" were restituted to
Hungary."
The Report is generally correct in pointing to US. policy toward Hungary as a partial
explanation for the treatment of the Gold Train. But the argument is seriously weakened
by the two cases used in its support-the expulsion of the Hungarian restitution mission
and the Silver Train ..
US. policy toward Hungary, in fact, changed in 1947 before the Hungarian restitution
mission was expelled from the US. zones-that is, approximately a year earlier than the
Report indicates. And the Silver Train was restituted in April 1947, only a month before
the Communist takeover in Hungary.
The Silver Train is a particularly weak case to use to support the Report's suggestion that
the Gold Train should have been restituted after the Communists takeover in Hungary.
Indeed, it may actually cut against it. Soon after the Silver Train was restituted to
�..
Hungary, the USSR took the train from the government of Hungary as war reparations.
Thereafter the US. had legitimate reasons not to restitute any property to Hungary.
(4) My fourth and final concern may be the most controversial. The Report fails to
provide the proper historical context for the chronology. The most important example of
this concerns the taking of "looted property by high ranking US. military officials." The
Report blurs the distinction between "war booty" and "war loot"
Official documentation refers to the Gold Train as "war booty," at least until November
1945. Late 1945, in fact, encompasses the period when most of the assets were taken by
US. officials. The Hungarian Jewish community did not claim the Gold Train assets
until December 1945. Only then did the assets become defined as "war loot"
There is a fine line between "war booty" and "war loot" The improper taking of either is,
by any measure, impermissible and unjustifiable. However, in the contemporaneous
context of World War II and the Austrian theatre of occupation, the distinction is critical
in accurately explaining certain behavior by the US. military.
********************
I would be happy to answer any questions about the analysis above, and hope that it will
be useful in the preparation of the final version of the Gold Train Report.
..-.,.
�.
,~
t)
. ...
, .
�FRO.M:..
FAX NO.:
A
909 621 8419
10-19-99
12:1SP
P.03
PRESIDENTIAL ADVISORY COMMISSION ON
HOLOCAUST ASSETS IN THE UNITED STATES
l'RESIDElImAL
ADVISORY COMMiSSioN
ON ...OLOC.AUST AS51!TS
IN THE UNITED STA1:'IiS
£dg.a! M. BrO!lfman
GhairI'Q.)1
L. Klotb.en
EXe,utiyc Di~ector
KCI;)IlClh
To: Ken Klothc:n
Froll!: Jonathan Petrtlpol.llos
Dacc: 15 Onober 199?
Re Comments by ROil Zwelg in Washington Post
Ron Zwt:ig was quoted by Ylichad Dobbs ilS saying [he repon snowed "a basic misunderstanding of me
immediate postwar period." He added that the U.S, authorities had rcason to mistrust Commu.rust promises
to retuPi valuable items to [J mucb-diminished Hungarian Jewish commu.ojty after World War II.
Indj\:iduaJ restitution wus impossible for the vast bulk oftbc looted goods. and that we "rushed to print" in
an ullempt tn ju~tify its SG millioll budget." Dohbs 9.dd~d that Zweig ',,'as working on hi$ own book.
J wOLlld ma.ke the following observations:
Jl was U.S. p<)licy ,md intematiollallaw to restitute all cu1tu[tI\ property to the country of origin
rega(dJess (If political orientation, at least until 1947.
2) The u.s, rC:~litutc:d hundreds of thousands of objects to tl)e S~'l\liel Uniun and other com.rounist
countrie5 (with ~ome obiects sent back after 1947).
3) Hungary had a coalition' government during the first two years the U.S. possessed the assds and
Jji.l nOI bt::l:ulI1t: :J c()mmunist coumry until 1947.
:l) The U.S. 1l11lhtlL'j,ies rebuffed the Hungarian Jewish Community leaders in Lheit attempts to inspect
the assets. They \\ere 11O{ the Hungarian government, There is no indication in the documents
that they were \;,llmmU!1lsts,
5) The re:<lsons 1hl' l.' .S. did not restitute the assets to Hungary are complicated and cannot be
ascrib€d III Cold \\'~r politics alone, For example, in the case ofthc I lOO-plus paintings, the
rat(onale appeared to b(: (according to documents cited) that they were be useful to the Austrians
1)
as b<rct~ring objects in negotiations with llungarians.
6) Yes. tht: HUllgnri:\n Jewish community was diminished (there was hardly one on the continent
thwt v,.u~~ 'f), bt.;~ t~).t: \;o~'"'";'Junity's lG~der!:: stated in ~.ht!h·lctt~ts to the: U.S. Stale Dt:Pdr"'uI~enl tb"i, Q
popUlation of 200.000 had !\1,I.1 vjvcu,
7) Tl1<: leaders of dn: Hungarian Jewish community requested the. right to inspect the a.~sets, as wen
as control OVC1" the: <l5SCtS, but we have not seen one docu.ment where they express concerns about
8)
<J)
10)
III
the HunguriJ n go\"!!rnmcnt not returning toe property to them, Of course., we don 't know what
would have h:.lPIXlH:d.
We never cbilll~d Ihn[ individual restitution was possible for the bulk Qf the: loot; only that
resticu!ton mlgh1 h;1Ve been possible for some of the loot. Ardelia Hall, for example, wrote about
labels and addn::ss!::s on many of lhe artworks (scc page 24 of the report).
Zweig seemingly Ignores the point that the U.S. forces appropriated victims' assets for their own
purposes and sold some of the works th.rough the Army Exchange. These acts were clear
v iola.tiQn5 n f l:.s. policy.
.
This report WJ;; il progress report (and titled as such) to our bosses. the Commissioners, on the
.
occasion 01';1 long·scheduled meeting. We were: not "rushing to print."·
We have hCC'1l \\,)rking 01\ this topic ~ince last May. We have devoted considerable resources of
tho: reSt:l\rch stall to it. This scholarship of this progre$S report is vcry solid and we have
901 15th. Street, NW • Suite 350 • Washington, DC 20005. 202-371-6400 • Fax 202-371-5678
--...-.
�FRX NO.:
9139 621 8419
113-19-99
demonstrated ,; \\ i IIingllC5s to proyjde to interested parlie~ copies of every document cited in the
rcport.
12) WI.: t;()(lper:]lI'.\ rtilly wifh Mr. Zweig when Wi;: encountered him the ill archives: we put bo;o;;es lit
his disp0511 I ~:lId in rormcd him ot" Our general plans and timetable, He stated to KOl1staritio
Akll1sha and lll<, Ih:Jt he did not know ahout the paintings 011 the Gold Train. It is his ulteriQr
motives th;)1 Slli.Hdd bi.' ~':dlcd into questi@. He is working on a book on thc Gold Train"
"
12:16P
P.134
�,
"
"
#
�· Officers Involved with the Fine Arts in Austria:
OfficerlIndividual Name
TltlelInvolvement with the MFA&A in USFA
Evelyn Tucker
MFA&A Rep RD&R BrancO
,.
.
Richard F, Howard
Deputy Chieffor Cultural Restitution MFA&A
Capt Robert K. Posey
Capt HQ GS 3
Major John Hartigen
ChiefMFA&A work, Land Oberoesterreich MG2
Major Richard G. Hensley
Chief, Archives Branch, USACA3
Major George A. Selke
Chief, Land Salzburg Military Government\ Education, Religion, Fine
Arts and Monuments Office, Land Salzburg5
Lt. Col. E.S. McKee
Inf. Head, RD&R Branch, RDR Division, USACA, USF A6
Col. Ernest T. DeWald
ChiefM& Fine Arts Branch, USACA, HQ USFA, RD&R Division,
(Lt. Col. As of 8/45), later transferred to Vienna7
Col. Theodore S. Paul
Chief, Reparations, Deliveries and Restitution Division, USACA8
rd
NA1A-,~.,~,~
Q.b~'Ut D. ' VSALA~,
1
ArmO
~~
I
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.('~ ()le-!../
'
Capt. W. A. Rembert
Capt. Charles R. SaUgast
Captain AUS, Fine Arts and Monuments Officer
With Salzburg Military Government Education, Religion, Fine Arts and
Monuments Office9
T/Sgt. 1. Erickson
PC&R Section, Salzburg lO
.
I NARA, RG 260, Ardelia Hall Collection, box 303, Letter from MF A&A Restitution Branch, Property
Division, OMG Bavaria, Subject: Transfer of Material from Central Collecting Point to Jurisdiction of
US FA, August 13, 1948.
2 NARA, RG 260, USACA Records, Reparations and Restitution Branch, box 160, HQ USF A, USACA,
MF A&A Branch, 1'1 Lt. Frederick Hartt to Lt. Col. Hedquist, Subject: Activities of MFA Branch, October
25,1945.
3 NARA, RG 260, USACA Records, Reparations and Restitution Branch, box 160, RDR Branch, USFA,
Memo of Security Instructions for Commanding General 42nd Division, August 31, 1945.
4 NARA, RG 260, USACA Records, Reparations and Restitution Branch, box 160, HQ USF A, USACA,
MFA&A Branch, lSI Lt. Frederick Hartt to Lt. Col. Hedquist, SUbject: Activities ofMFA Branch, October
25, 1945.
5 NARA, RG 260, USACA Records, Reparations and Restitution Branch, box 160, Ernest T. De Wald to
Major Selke, October 24, 1945.
6 NARA, RG 260, USACA Records, Reparations and Restitution Branch, box 160, Robert M. Miller to
Deputy Chief Military Government Officer, Final Status Report - Monuments and Fine Arts, July 10, 1946.
7 NARA, RG 260, USACA Records, Reparations and Restitution Branch, box 160, RDR Branch, USFA,
Memo of Security Instructions for Commanding General 42 nd Division, August 31, 1945.
8 NARA, RG 260, USACA Records, Reparations and Restitution Branch, box 160, Theodore S. Paul to
Commanding General, USACA, "Removal of Objects of Art," August 19, 1945.
9 NARA, RG 260, USACA Reconis, Reparations and Restitution Branch, box 160, HQ USFA, USACA,
MF A&A Branch, 1st Lt. Frederick Hartt to Lt. Col. Hedquist, Subject: Activities ofMFA Branch, October
25, 1945.
~~
�2nd Lt. Frederick C. Strady
st
1 Lt. James C. Garrison
Vienna HQ USFA; USACA, Chief RD&R Division 11
1st Lt. Morrie S. Grinberg
Asst. MFA Branch, RD&R Division- USACA
1st Lt. Rodger v. Holmen
CAC, Asst. FAM Officer Land Oberoesterreich MG
12
13
1st Lt. Steven Kovalyak
I4
Lt. Perry B. Cott
Assistant, Monuments and Fine Arts Branch, USACA
Lt. Hamilton Coulter
USNRO
Lt. Frederick Hartt
l'tLt., AirCorps, Acting
(lst)O
As of 10/45: Asst., M&FA Branch, RDR Division, USACA 15
Lt. Lamont Moore
USFET, Economic Branch
Lt. James Plaut
usNRO
Lt. Theodore Rousseau
USNRO
Lt. Hugh Craig Smyth
USNR
Lt. George L. Stout
USNR, later became Chief Restorer NY Museum of A O
Cpl. Clyde J. Davis( ./
Enlisted man assigned to MFA&A in Austria, November 19450
Pfc. Richard M. Barancik
Enlisted man assigned to MF A&A in Austria, November 194-C)
Herbert Stewart Leonard
Civilian, ChiefMFA&A OMGB, Authorized Representative of
Commanding General USFA at Munich Collecting Point, Chief
Munich Collecting Poine 6
Robert M. Miller
MF A-OCMGO, attached RD&R-USACA, ChiefMFA Branch (2ndO
ChiefMF~-USFAIUSACA
0
0 __
10 NARA, RG 260, USACA Records, Reparations and Restitution Branch, box 160, USFA Inter-Office
Memorandum, Subject: Art Deposits Remaining in Alt-Ausse Saitmine, August 26,1947.
II NARA, RG 260, Ardelia Hall Collection, box 303, HQ USF A, USACA Section, Memo from Garrison to
Commanding General, Subject: Transfer of Custody to USF A and Restitution to Austria, April 10, 1947.
12 NARA, RG 260, USACA Records, Reparations and Restitution Branch, box 160, HQ USFA, USACA,
MF A&A Branch, l't Lt. Frederick Hartt to Lt. Col. Hedquist, Subject: Activities of MFA Branch, October
25, 1945,
13 NARA, RG 260, USACA Records, Reparations and Restitution Branch, box 160, HQ USF A, USACA,
MF A&A Branch, 1st Lt. Frederick Hartt to Lt. Col. Hedquist, Subject: Activities ofMFA Branch, October
25, 1945.
14 NARA, RG 260, USACA Records, Reparations and Restitution Branch,' box 160, RDR Branch, USFA,
nd
Memo of Security Instructions for Commanding General 42 Division, August 31, 1945.
15 NARA, RG 260, USACA Records, Reparations and Restitution Branch, box 160, HQ USFA, USACA,
MF A&A Branch, 1st Lt. Frederick Hartt to Lt. Col. Hedquist, Subject: Activities of MFA Branch, October
25, 1945.
16 NARA, RG 260, USACA Records, Reparations and Restitution Branch, box 160, USF A Informal
Routing Slip, Subject: TOY to Salzburg ofMFA Representative, OMGB.
.
�I
Mr. Andrew C. Ritchie
Civilian, Specialist, Monuments and Fine Arts Branch, USACA I1
Mrs. Alex Swoboda
In charge MFA records PC&R section, Salzburg l8
Acronyms for Officers Descriptions,
USFA
USACA
MF&A
MFA&A
FAM
RD&R- .
PC&R-
United States Forces in Austria
United States Allied Control Austria
Monuments and Fine Arts Branch
Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives Branch
Fine Arts and Monuments Bmnch
Repamtions, Deliveries, and Restitution Bmnch
Property Control and Restitution Branch
Acronyms for Officers Class,
PfcPrivate, 1st Class
Cpl.Corporel
Lt.Lieutenant
Capt.Captain
T/Sgt.
Col.-
Colonel
17 NARA, RG 260, USACA Records, Reparations and Restitution Branch, box 160, RDR Bmnch, USF A,
Memo of Security Instructions for Commanding General 42 0d Division, August 31, 1945.
18 NARA, RG 260, USACA Records, Reparations and Restitution Branch, box 160, USF A Inter-Office
Memorandum, Subject: Art Deposits Remaining in All-Ausse Saltmine, August 26, 1947.
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�MEMO
TO:
FROM.:
DATE.:
SUBJECT:
Jonathan Petropoulos
Erin Rodgers
September 24, 1999
PURCHASE OF WORKS OF ART BY AMERICAN PERSONNEL
Jona~,
The write up of the attached document will obviously be worked into the larger policy subsection of the
section on misappropriations by US forces. However, I wanted you to have this small part as SOOI1 as
possi})le. The document mentions no monetary/value limit, as we had discussed, but I am sure that
.
information will be forthcoming as-weu.. .sool1,
On December 31,1946 Richard F. Howard, Chief of the MFA&A Section of the Restitutjon
Branch in the Economics Division, wrote branches of the Office of the Military Governmentlor Germany ~
(OMGUS) on the subject of the purchasing of works of art by American personnel. l Howard~dressed the
Mon®lents, Fine Arts, an.Q. Archives (MFA&A) Sections of the OMGUS branches in Bremln, Hesse,
Wuerttemberg-Baden, Bremen Enclave, and the BerlillBector. The letter was written as a response to
questions presented for the opinion of the Legal Division, OMGUS, as to the legality of American
personnel purchasing works of art. Howard cites the Legal Division's Opinion that stated that American
personnel in the theater were permitted to purchase works of art from dealers licensed according to the
conditions explained in a December 6, 1945 letter with the subject "Transfer of Worls.:s of Art or C!litural
... j
Materials Of Value or Importance." These conditions were also subject to the limi14ti<)flS of a paragraph in
the USFET (United States ~Q,rces European Theater) Circular No. 140. Howard's letter cites a section from
this paragraph saying, "TangibJe personal property which is not rationed ... may be purchased ... at
prev.ailing legal prices {or, the personal use of the individual or for use as gifts or souvenirs, provided such
purchases are not made for investment, resale, or otherwise for profit ... ,,2
'.J
!"l~, RG 260, Economics Division, box 46, Purchase of Works of Art by American Personnel, Richarq
.,
F"Howard to MFA&A Offices of OMGUS, December 31,1946.
2 NARA, RG 260, Economics Division, box 46, Purchase of Works of Art by American Personnel, RiChaJ:d
F. Howard to MFA&A Offices of OMGUS,. December 31, 1946.
�PHOTOCOPY
PRESERVATION
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�1. Misappropriation of Cultural Property by Members of the U.S. armed
Forces and Occupation Personnel.
Detennining and reviewing military policy pertaining to acquisitions,
through purchase or theft, of cultural property will constitute the foundation
from which we will measure misappropriation:~ctivities by U.S. forces. We
will reconstruct policy both from the.militaryfuerarchy and from non
military authorities (e.g., State Department regulations that applied to
oOJ'.O
fighting and occupation forces).
',,,
o
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,~.
Policy
."
."( \,~
.
O.
The guidelines regarding the conduct of U.S. forces in Europe with respect
to cultural property began to take shape even prior to the invasion of Sicily
in 1943. The-Rpberts Commission, in addition to providing infonnation
about culturally valu~ble objects (and very precise maps), also made
recommendations forAnny policy. This helped produce a SHAEF order to
"locate, and at your discretion, seize or otherwise secure works of art and
other cultural materials." Commanders were responsible for protecting such
objects, and furthennore, for "forbid [ding] the sale, transfer, or export of
works of art and other cultural materials except as my be directed by the
Supreme Authority."l In short, Allied armed forces were not permitted to
take cultural objects or even purchase items as souvenirs, and this was re
stated in the more comprehensive Military Government Law # 52, dated 14
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,July 1945.
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The U.S. armed forces also did the following to protect cultural property:
they posted "off limits" signs on signifiCant bujldings or depots; ordered
field officers to consult the Official Civil Affairs List of Moniunents and
avoid using any structure for military p'urposes without the explicit
pennission of the Commander; they held commanders responsible for
"prevent[ing looting, wanton damage and sacrilege of buildings by troops.,,2
SHAEF also responded to reconlinendations by the Roberts Cornmission by
"mak[ing] available to the zone commandersh!co'gnized and competent
experts from any of the several United Nations for the purpose of assisting in
, National Archives, College Park (~ Record Group (RG), 239, box 37, D.raft Directive to th;.
Commander -in-Chief, 14 S.e,ptemb 1944.
.
2 NACP, RG 239, box 37, DraftDirec'tve"'to the Coinmander-in-Chief, Annex 1,14 September 1944.
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�the identification and conservation of works of art and other cultural
materials.,,3 The Roberts Commission, combined with their British·
counterparts, the Macmillan Committee, initiated the creation of the
.Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives division of SHAEF.
Despite these measures, there were numerous transgressions. These were in
part cominunicated by Sumner McK. Crosby, a Special Adviser to the
President, in a memorandum he wrote to the Roberts Commission in April
1945.4 Crosby noted the "constant rumors concerning the increase in
general indiscriminate looting by American and British soldiers in
Germany" and cited specific problems including: "off limits" signs being
ignored; the temptation to loot that came wjth the house-to-house searches
for weapons; and the ease with which solcJkrs could shiIUlbj.e.cts_bacL
home." Concerning the latter, he noted, "1 have been told by Mqjor Charles
'(r-Orange that no control is being exercised over such shipments, which
often include boxes large enough to contain important paintings, etc. These
shipments often travel by air as the personal property of officers and soldiers
being sent home on leave or for reassigrunent." Crosby viewed the situation
as so catastrophic that he "believe [d] the Roberts Commission should
consider making an official protest, as well as recommendations about
possible actions' to be taken."
,
While there is no record of the Roberts Commission following through on
Crosby's suggestion and filing a protest, the Commission gradually
developed a strategy for dealing with works of art brought into the U.S. by
members of the armed forces. First, they acted as a kind of lobbying group
and induced the U.S. Milit~ Government to circulate regulations regarding
the exporting of ~ from Germany. 5 . They inauced11re1VIiIitary Gove~ent
to include the relevant sections of the 1,907 Hague agreement and noted that
certain Germans were curr-entl¥-heing prosecuted as war criminals for
violating these articres(46, 47, and56))
.~.--~.-~
.
By spring 1946, the Roberts Commission had started to develop a' plan to
~eturn cultural property brought into the country by returning members of
the armed forces. Lamont Moore, Assistant Secretary to the Commission,
Ibid.
NACP, RG 23.9, box 17, Sumner Crosby to the American Commission for the Protection and Salvage of
rtistic and Hjstoric Monuments in War Areas, Interim Report, April 6-17, 1945.
5 NACP, RG 239, box 17, Charles Sawyer to W.R Johnson (Commissioner, Bureau of Customs, Treasury
epartment), November 19, 1945.
.
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met with representatives of the War Department and induced them to agree
to a proposal whereby the War Department would take responsibili!Y..fgr
returning an object to Europe once th~artic1e was nacked (as long as funding
came from another agency). Moore then networked with museum officials
in the U. S. and induced them to sign on to a plan whereby "souvenirs. .. of
unusual cultUral value and therefore subject to return to the country of
origin, will deliver the objects of their own volition to the nearest museum
capable of packing. Upon receipt and packing of the object, the museum
will notify the War Department, Civil Affairs Division, in Washington, and
through the Adjutant General's Office, orders will be issued for the local
Service Command to pick-up the object at the museum and ship it through
the uartermaster.,,6 While this proposal was creative and well-intentioned,
it was nonetheless voluntary: individuals themselves had to come forward
'with the objects and deliver them to the museums.
Within the American occupation zone in Germany, there were efforts to
control the commerce in artworks. Military Government Law No. 52,
concerning the "Transfer of Works of Art or Cultural Materials of Value or
Importance" of 6 December 1946 regulated the art market (and set the
standards for licensing art dealers).?
Examples
Systematic review of the contents of the RG 59 (Ardelia Hall) collection has
proven most useful in the development of several leads for future
investigation, as well as documents directly pertaining to inisappropriation
of U.S. forces. We are most interested in those examples of
misappropriation when the object was not recovered. It is our goal to create
a list of objects belonging to Holocaust victims wrongfully acquired by U.S.
forces that have not been restituted to the rightful owners.
The most interesting of the materials compiled to date is a list of cultural
property recovered at Customs bureaus around the U.S. These examples are
particularly important because they did not involve voluntary return. We are
not yet able to QEovide global figures for the number of thefts by U.S. forces,
but certain documents are revealing. ,
•
GJNACP, RG 239, entry 1, box 17, Lamont Moore to Huntington Cairns, March 1, 1946.
NACP, RG 239, entry 1, box 84, Military Government Regulations, Title 18: Monuments, Fine Arts and
it Archives, 12 February 1947.
·
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A. For example, one dOC.l.!1'Y~_Qn \.U........,.....LJ...<:~
.........
Recovered in the U.S."
ses where cultural property
stolen by U.S. citizens were seized at various customs_bureau,s. For
example, a painting by Claude Monet titled "Peniches sur la Seine" which
belonged to Madame Fernand Halphen of Paris, was found at the Detroit
Institute of Art after a State Department investigation and returned to the
French Embassy. Most of these cases were handled in a manner that appears
scrupulous, but there are instances where questions arise.
T
....
B. We are, to take an example from a somewhat different sphere,
investigating certain members of the Library of Congress mission who
apparently misappropriated property and tried to turn this to their own
. financial advantage .
.C. We will also undertake a careful study of the Property Control Warehouse
in Salzburg. This depot was extensively looted by U.S. forces and not all of
the contents have been recovered. Some of this property belonged to
Holocaust victims.
D. We will look into the activities of the T-Forces (Target Forces) of the
Treasury Department. We have been in touch with individuals who have
some knowledge of these forces' activities (Willi Korte and Klaus
Goldmann). Thus far, there is little but nunor. For·example, Sumner
Crosby, in the above-noted memo' from April 1945, reported, "There are
also, I believe, organized looting s~uads, sent out to secure all available
essential materials and foodstuffs."
E. We have heard that former President Herbert Hoover led a fact-fmding
mission to Europe in 1946 and that he returned with artworks that he should
not have had. We will investigate further by consulting the records in the
Hoover Institution, materials previously classified in the National Archives,
and private researchers (e.g., Kenneth Alford in Richmond, VA).
F. The so-called Krinner case. A guard at the Central Collecting Point in
Munich (therefore an employee of the Americans, also part of an American
agency), stole a number of paintings there. Most were·recovered, but some
were not. Our goal is not only to construct a history of the case, but also to
determine which works were not recovered.
8
Ibid (Crosby memo),
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�Policy Directives for US forces in the European Theater:
In a confidential draft of a proJerty control ordinance dated 18 August 1944, The Supreme Commander
Allied Expeditionary Force, ardculated the following policy towards the categories of property to fall into
Allied hands, and the legal trdtment of those goods. Article One of the Property Control Ordinance Draft
deals with the categories of prdperty and reads as follows, "Property owned or controlled directly by
indirectly, in whole, or in part.! by any of the following is subject to direction, management, supervision or
otherwise being taken into control by Military Government. ,,1 Those individuals and groups whose
•
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property was to be taken mto c~mtrollllcluded:
(a) The German Reich, or any of the Lander, gaue, or provinces, or any agency or
instrumentality, thereof, including all utilities, undertakings, public corporations or
monopolies under Ithe control of any of the above;
(b) Governments, nationals or residents of Nations still at war with any of the United Nations, or
of nationals, residents or governments of territories occupied by such nations;
(c) Other Enemy Sta~es, or governments, of any agency of instrumentality thereof;
(d) The NSDAP, all Offices, departments, agencies and organizations forming part of, attached to,
I
or controlled by it; its officials and such of its leading members or supporters whose names
are published by Military Govennnent;
(e) All persons held ~der detention or any type of custody by Military Government; all
organizations, clups or other associations prohibited or dissolved by Military Government.
(t) Property of absent owner, including property of United Nation's government and nations
tllereof;
I
(g) All persons whose names are aIlllounced by Military Govenmlent by publication of lists or
2
otherwise.
I
The second clause of the first article included among the materials to be brought under Allied Control
materials brought into Germany from other countries. Specifically the ordinance stated: "Property which
has been the subject of duress, ,wrongful acts of dispossession or spoilation from territories outside
Germany is equally subject to direction; management, supervision or otherwise being taken into control by
Military Government.,,,3
i
While the first article of the eight contained in tlle ordinance, was important for the US forces for
their understanding of what goods would fall under "property control" measures, dIe directives aimed at
military behavior towards thesJ objects were included in Article Two through Six. Article two prohibited
tlle transfer of these goods acc6rding to the following terms: '
Except as hereinafter provided or when licensed or otherwise authorized or directed by
Military Govennnent, Ino person shall acquire or receive, sell, transfer, export,
hypotllecate or otherwise dispose or, destroy, damage, conceal or surrender possession,
custody or control of Jny property enumerated in Article I hereof; of any property owned
or controlled by any Dreis or municipality; of any institution dedicated to public worship,
charity, education, or bf dIe arts and sciences; or any work of art or cultural material of
value or importance nbt odlerwise covered by Article II.4
All persons, US forces include~ were not to acquire in any manner property that came under dIe
control of dIe Allied and US authorities. In addition to prohibitions, dIe forces encountered
numerous responsibilities for the controlled property. These responsibilities were articled in
Article 3. This article states:
,I
NARA2, Record Group 239,IBOX 37, Confidential Draft for Property Control Ordinance,
1944, unsigned document produced by Supreme Commander Allied Expeditionary Force.
2 NARAZ, Record Group 239, IBox 37, Confidential Draft for Property Control Ordinance,
1944, unsigued document produced by Supreme Commander Allied Expeditionary Force.
3 NARA2, Record Group 239, IBox 37, Confidential Draft for Property Control Ordinance,
1944, unsigned document produced by Supreme Commander AHied Expeditionary Force.
4 NARA2, Record Group 239, ,Box 37, Confidential Draft for Property Control Ordinance,
" ,.', ;:~~9<44; .~QSigned document prodoced by Supreme Commander Allied Expeditionary Force.
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Presidential Advisory Commission on Holocaust Assets
Description
An account of the resource
<p>The Presidential Advisory Commission on Holocaust Assets in the United States, formed in 1998, was charged with investigating what happened to the assets of victims of the Holocaust that ended up in the possession of the United States Federal government. The final report of the Commission, <a href="http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/pcha/PlunderRestitution.html/html/Home_Contents.html"> “Plunder and Restitution: Findings and Recommendations of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Holocaust Assets in the United States and Staff Report"</a> was submitted to President Clinton in December 2000.</p>
<p>Chairman - Edgar Bronfman<br /> Executive Director - Kenneth Klothen</p>
<p>The collection consists of 19 series. The first fifteen series of the collection are composed mostly of photocopied federal records. These records were reproduced at the National Archives and Records Administration by commission members for their research. The records relate to Holocaust assets created between the mid 1930’s and early 1950’s by a variety of U. S. Government agencies and foreign sources.</p>
<p>Subseries:<br /><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Art+and+Cultural+Property+">Art and Cultural Property</a><br /><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Gold+">Gold</a><br /><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Gold+Team+Review+Form+Binders+">Gold Team Review Form Binders</a><br /><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Art+and+Cultural+Property+and+%E2%80%9COthers%E2%80%9D+Review+Form+Binders">Art and Cultural Property and “Others” Review Form Binders</a><br /><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Non-Gold+Financial+Assets+Review+Form+Binders">Non-Gold Financial Assets Review Form Binders</a><br /><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=History+Associates+Binder+">History Associates Binder</a><br /><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Non-Gold+Financial+Assets+Review+Form+Binders+%282%29">Non-Gold Financial Assets Review Form Binders (2)</a><br /><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Financial+Assets+Documents">Financial Assets Documents</a><br /><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=RG+84%2C+Foreign+Service+Posts+of+the+State+Department%E2%80%94Turkey">RG 84, Foreign Service Posts of the State Department—Turkey</a><br /><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Financial+Assets+Documents">Financial Assets Documents</a><br /><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?search=&advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=%5BJewish+Restitution+Successor+Organization+%28JRSO%29%2C+Oral+Histories%5D&range=&collection=20&type=&user=&tags=&public=&featured=&exhibit=&submit_search=Search+for+items">[Jewish Restitution Successor Organization (JRSO), Oral Histories]</a><br /><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=PCHA+Secondary+Sources">PCHA Secondary Sources</a><br /><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Researcher+Notes">Researcher Notes</a><br /><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Unnumbered+Documents+from+Archives+II+and+Various+Notes">Unnumbered Documents from Archives II and Various Notes</a><br /><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=RG+260%2C+Finance+Inventory+Forms">RG 260, Finance Inventory Forms</a><br /><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Reparations">Reparations</a><br /><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Chase+National+Bank">Chase National Bank</a><br /><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Administrative+Files">Administrative Files</a><br /><a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Art+%26+Cultural+Property+Theft">Art & Cultural Property Theft</a></p>
<p>Topics covered by these records include the recovery of confiscated art and cultural property; the reparation of gold and other financial assets; and the investigation of events surrounding capture of the Hungarian Gold Train at the close of World War II. These files contain memoranda, correspondence, inventories, reports, and secondary source material related to the final disposition of art and cultural property, gold, and other financial assets confiscated during the Holocaust.</p>
<p>For more information concerning this collection consult the<a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/show/35992"> finding aid</a>.</p>
Provenance
A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource.
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
Publisher
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Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
<a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/show/35992" target="_blank">Collection Finding Aid</a>
<a href="https://catalog.archives.gov/id/1040718" target="_blank">National Archives Catalog Description</a>
Extent
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2954 folders
Text
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text.
Original Format
The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
Paper
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
[Rodgers, Erin - Notes] [4]
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Presidential Advisory Commission on Holocaust Assets in the United States
Art & Cultural Property Theft
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Box 219
<a href="http://clintonlibrary.gov/assets/Documents/Finding-Aids/Systematic/Holocaust-Assets.pdf" target="_blank">Collection Finding Aid</a>
<a href="http://catalog.archives.gov/description/6997222" target="_blank">National Archives Catalog Description</a>
Provenance
A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource.
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
Format
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Adobe Acrobat Document
Publisher
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Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
Medium
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Reproduction-Reference
Date Created
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6/24/2013
Source
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6997222-rodgers-erin-notes-4
6997222