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TH;E FATE OF THE CULTuRAL PROPERTY FROM THE BALTIC
,STATES
The history of treatment of cultural property of the Baltic States by American
occupational authorities'in Germany is one of striking examples of deviation of the
restitution policy of cultural materials adopted by the U.S. government in the end of
WWII. Cultural property both non':'Jewish and Jewish was never returned to the countries
of its origin. The decision notio return cultural property of the Baltic States was based
entirely on political agenda of the moment and was seriously influenced by the 'beginning
of cold war. The U.S. government never recognized Soviet annexation of the Baltic
States. On the basis of this political decision all Jewish property from Estonia, Lithuania
,and Latvia was transferred to Jewish successor organizations without .any attempt to
check the existence of the valid claimants in the co.untries. All non-Jewish property was
simply left in Germany in custody of different German institutions. In many cases the
status of the cultural valuables left in the fonner American zone of occupation was not
cleared and became a time-bomb for German museums; the property in question is still
kept in the Federal Republic of Germany and the Baltic governments are not informed
about its location.
I.
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE POLICY
The restitution of the cultural property ofthe Baltic States was
aff~cted
by the ,
U.S. approach to the problem of the Soviet occupation of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in'
1939-1940. All three countries gained independence after the end ofWWI.,
�The Molotov-Ribbentrop pact signed by the Nazi and the Soviet governments on .
23 August 1939 contained the secret protocol dealing the division of Poland and the
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Baltic states. "Latvia and Estonia where initially to go to the Soviet Union, and Lithuania,
to Gennany, but on 28 September, following the fall of Poland, the second secret
prot~col allocated Lithuani~ to the Soviet Union in return for the Gennan c~ncessions in
Poland and the equivalent of$ 7.5 million ingold."!
On September 23, 1939 Estonia was confronted with ,Soviet demand of a military
alliance and acquiescence in the establishment oJ Soviet military bases in the republic.
On October 2 Latvia was forced to agree'to the similar tenns. In case of Lithuania the
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U.S~S.R. in return for the military alliance and military bases, it ceded Vilnius,region
(Wilno) seized from Poland under Molotov-Ribbentrop pact.
In miq-June of 1940 Moscow issued ultimatums to all three Baltic governments
requiring full military occupation and the reconstruction of the go~ernments under Soviet
supervision. All three countries gave in. In July elections orchestrated by Moscow with.
, help of local communists finished by creation of pro-soviet parli"aments, which requested
"admission" to the Soviet Union.
In 1941 after the beginning of the Hitler's war agains~ the U.S.S.R. Wennacht
occupied the Baltic countries. The anti-Soviet uprisings started on the eve of the Gennan
,
I Anatol Lieven, The Baltic revolution. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and the Path to independence, Yale
University Press, New Heaven; 1993, p. 79.
.
.
�occupation in Estonia and Lithuania. In Vilnius the provisionalgovemrp.eilt w~s
established, but soon after the occupation the Nazis demolished it.
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The Nazis had no intention to reestablish the independent Baltic States. All three
countries had to be inCluded to the territories of the Reich. The Nazi ideologists planned
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to resettle the majority of the Baltic population (with exception of Estonians, who were
treated as Arians) to the depth of the Russian temtory and to send to all three countries
German settlers.
In 1945 the Baltic sates were occupied by the Soviet army and treated as the
liberated provinces of the U.S.S.R.
The initial U.S. policy on the restitutionofthe cultural property of the Baltic
States followed the general guidelines of the return ~fthe looted cultural property to the
countries of origin. It means that Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania were treated as the
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integral parts .
of the U.S.S.,R. and the cultural property looted by the Nazis in these
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countries was returned to the Soviet Union.
In 1945 the U.S. ,Forces discovered two major Nazi repositories ofLatvian
cultural property in the Castle of Trypist and in Kladrau. 'They contained documeI?-tation
of the Central Latvian Record Office, the Historical Archives of the city of Riga,
Genealogical Archive of Riga, the Latvian Archive for Statistic, the collection the
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Latvian Historical State Museum, the collection of the Dome Museum of Riga, books
from the State Library of Riga and objects from private collections and libraries.
2
Already by the end of the summer of 1945 the relations between Soviet and U.S.
occupational forces became tense. Americans openly didn't trust their Soviet allies. All
archival materials of Soviet origin had to be screened by intelligence before restitution to
, the U.S.S.R.
On AugUst 19, 1945 Mason Hammon~, MF A&A officer Wrote to Major Lafarge:
1. During my rece~t trip to 3 US Army, Capt. Poseyst~ted that there are in that
area certain Russian archives and collections which he is anxious to Return to the
, ' Russians.
2. I stated informally that I saw no reason for not doing so with proper clearances
and he said that he would clear with you.
3. Further consideration suggests the wisdom of proceeding cautiously in respect
to restitution to the Russians:
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They should'not be encouraged to deal direct with District Commanders but
through the proper channel, which is US Group CC. This has been the reply
made by us to all requests for restitution which have been presented direct to
lower echelons.
Relations with Russians are such that proper clearance should b~ obtained at
Group level before any negotiations are had.
There are items, which it is desired to secure from the Russian Zone relative to
MFA&A, notably by Lt. HORN for intelligence work and by Mr. CHILD for the'
.Ministerial Documents Center. It is obvious that the return of the subj ect
materials could be used for bargaining and that in general any exchanges should
be cleared at someone point for overall bargaining?
2 The General Register about the Latvian Culture-Objects. May 27, 1945. NARA, RG 260, Ardellia
Hidl Collection, Box 289.
3 Letter of Mason Hainmond to Major url'arge, Hq. US Group CC, MFA&A Brartch,19 August,
1945, NARA, RG 260, Box 723, Records ofthe Property Division, MFA&A General Records.
�On September 4, '1945 Soviet representatives paid a visit to the headquarters of '
1
USFET to discuss the return of the archival collections found by the 3 U.S. Army.
However the officers in the headquarters didn't know hqw to deal with the problem of
return of the discovered archives:
This office had not been instructed as to the,policy p~rt~ining in such release, ~d
a telephone call was placed to RD&R Division, US Group CC, Berlin at 1705
hours, for Col. JEFFERSON. The situation was explained to Col. JEFFERSON
by Lt.Col. SANGSTON, al~rtlng him to the prese~ce ofth~Russian officers and
the natUre of their mission. Col. Jefferson stated the we could return to the
Russians, archives and papers which apply or belong to Russia and Russian
cities; that we must not under any circumstances at-this time retum~my archives
or records which belonged initially to the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia and
Lithuania). The above is based on the policythat the four Allies who are
members of the Quadripartite,Council at Berlin might repossess their own
papers. 4
However, despite of recommendation RD&R Division, on September 21, 1945
General Eisenhower sent a cable to the Third U.S. Army. The cable stated: "Clearance
,
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for release of eleven 'carloads of historic Baltic archives now in Twenty Two Corps area
to the Russians is 'confirmed;"s
!
Four days later Eisenhower addressed to the Commanding General of the Eastern
Military District informing him that: "The Latvian materials ... should ,also be returned to
the Soviet Military Authorities for custody and ultimate disposition. ,,6
'
,4 Conferenc~ Relative to South Russian City Archives. Undated, NARA, RG 260'; Box 273, Records
of the Property Division, MF A&A General Records.
'
5
Cable of Eisenhower 'to Third UnitedStates'Arrny. September 21, 1945; NARA., RG 59, Box 20.
6 Recovery of Art Treasures and Archives by the Russians. Cable of General Eisenhower to
Commanding General, Eastern Military District. September 25, 1945, NARA, Box 723, Records of the
Property Division, MF A&A General Records. '
�A document signed by Col. Raymond Marsh is explaining that the policy of
restitution to the Baltic States was at the best foggy:
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(I) A request was forwarded by MF A&A Sub-section to US Oroup CC for a
statement of policy covering the restitution of looted archives from Russia
Latvia. A reply has been received that such material should be turned over to the
Soviet Military Authorities. The Eastern military District has accordingly been
directed to effect this restitution as per inclosed copy of endorsement.
'(2) The delay in receiving this reply from US Group CC waS due to the obtaining
by the Political Affairs Division of the necessary concurrence to the transfer of
.
La,tvian property to USSR representatives. 7
On October 25, 1945 the U.S. Army transferred the cultural treasures of Riga to
M. Grinbegr, curator of the State Museum of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republlc and
Major Lev Podolsky, representative of the Soviet Command of the Fifth 'Soviet Guards',
Army. 8
The register of the Latvian cultural objects, composed in May 1945 didn~tspecify
quantity, or character of private collections or libraries of Riga, removed by the Nazis and
found by the U.S. Forces. Because of this it is not clear did they belong to the victims of
Holocaust.
With the change of political situation and the beginning of cold war the U ~S.
approach to the restitution of cu.1tural property from the Baltic States 9hanged. If in 1945
7 Recovery of Stolen Valuables from USSR. Signed by Raymond Marsh,Clonel, Ord. Executive.
o.ctober 1945 (Undated), NARA, RG 260, Box 723, Records of the Property Division, MFA&A General
Records.
8 NARA, RG 260, Ardelia Hall Collection, Box 289, The General Register About the Latvian Culture
Objects. May 27, 1945·
�two opinions on return of the cultural property of the Baltic States existed by 1947 the
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decision not to return it to the SovIet Union was adopted.
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On July 15, 1947 Washington issued a directive "U.s. Restifution Policy"The
directive stated:
Restitution Policy to the Baltic States. - Restitution procedure provides that
claims to be filed by the government of the country from whose territory the .
Germans removed the looted goods. Under this procedure the USSR has filed
claims for restitution to the Baltic States of Latvia, Estonia, apd Lithuania,
claiming to be the governrilent of those states. The pending claims for industrial
property involve 69 items of machinery and some personal property. On the
cultural side, a total 19,100 books and 17 boxes of books arid newspapers from
Jewish libraries are involved, and in addition thereto 8,000 books and 45 boxes
'ofbooks and newspapers from non-Jewish libraries. There was an exchange of
letters with the Soviet Military Government on the subject and at the ACA
Coordinating Con1mittee Meeting of 15 September 1947 the Soviet member
protested against non-restitution by US Military Government. In th~ meantime, '.
Washington has directed ... that the Soviet Union is not recognized as a proper
restitution claimant for property removed from Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania,
adding that disposition of such property will be the subject of later decisions. In
view of this pending decision by Washington, no recommendations are offered'
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herein.
This decision became the ground of the order of the OMGUS dated by November
1947 and called "Restitution in the Four Zones". According to it:
US Military Government, pursuant to AGWAR instructions, has notified the
Soviet Military Administration, that the US does not recognize the fusion of the
Baltic republics with the USSR, but that infomiation concerning property looted
from those countries will be accepted, no commitment being made however as to
final disposition to be made of such property. It is understood·the British
Military Government has taken the same position. In the ACA Coordinating
. Committee Meeting of 15 September 1947,the Soviet Member objected that
there were no grounds for denying restitution and that no agreements of the
Allied powers permit an occupation authority to delay arbitrarily the restitution·
of property because of some unilateral consideration of its own .. The British and
9 Restitution
in the Four Zones. Undated, NARA, RG59, Box 28, Lot 620'-4.
�. US delegations have referred the Soviet statement to their Governments pending
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further instructions.
But if it was stated that cultural property from the Baltic States would he riot
returned to the U.S.S.R. it was not clear what to do with it.
In 1947- 1948 works of art and libraries from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania found
in the U.S. Zone of occupation of Germany "Yere placed in Offenbach and .Wiesbaden
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collecting points. In 1948 the U.S. authorities started to negotiate a possibility to restitute
property of the Baltic states not to the Soviet Union, but to different "governments in
exiles?' and Baltic emigre groups, who struggled for the recognition by the U.S. as the
sl:lccessors of the Estonian, Latvian and Lithmmian governments, toppled by the Soviet
Union in 1940. These negotiations were dedicated to the fate of non-Jewish B.altic
property.
On October 20, ·,1948 representative of OMGUS, Berlin sent a cable to the
Department ofthe Army about the fate of "property removed from Lithuania, Latvia and' '
Estonia." The representativ:e of OMGUS believed that: "since identification and location
present whereabouts of individual owners would ~e difficult, you proposed method of
disposition "sale In Germany and blocking ~f r~sultant funds" appears most
fe~sibl~."ll
10 Restitution in the Four Zones, OMGUS, November 1947 (Undated), NARA, RG 56, Box 84,
German Restitution.
II
Cable from OMGUS, Berlin to Department of the Anny, October 20,1948. NARA" RG 56, Box 82;
�,
On December 30 the State Dep~en( sent an airgram to the American Embassy
in London. The'State Department addressed the issue ofboth non-cultural and cultural
, property from Latvia:
For your infoI1llation the latest survey of Latvian cultural property in our
collecting points indicates 4158 books from non-Jewish sources and 5 small art '
objects...Suggest consideration be:given by State to negotiate with Minister
Zarine for disposal pf all above listed cultural properties. 12,
On the same day the chief ofthe Civil Affairs Division of the Department of the
Army notified OMGUS that: "On further consideration State considers Latvian Minister ,
ZARlNE London [Latvian Government in Exile] competent re~eive Latvian restitutable
material."
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However the Department of the Army did not 'approve, restitution of cultural
property to the exile groups:
Strong US policy protection cultural heritage all nations renders application'
foregoing procedure difficult. State now exploring other pos'sible procedures.
Pending further decisions re disposition request non-Jewish cultural property of
Baltic States be retained under US control, possibly in depot other than
Offenbach if latter required for industrial purpos~s. 13
OMGUS planned to organize meeting in London with minister Zarine to work out
a plan of restitution of Latvian property. ' One of proposition was to sell the property in
question in Germany and to put money on the blocked account. But in one of numerous
cables about preparation of such meeting a representative of OM GUS stated again: "We,
, 12 State Department airgram of 30 December to American Embassy, London. Subject: Property
Removed from Latvia. December 30, 1948. NARA, RG 260, Box 24.
13 Cable from the Chief of the Civil Affairs Division of the Department of the Anny to OMGUS,
, December30~ 1948. NARA, RG 59, Box 20.
'
�will continue to retain under U.S. custody the 'No~ Jewish cultural properties for the
'Baltic States pending final predisposition of these properties." 14
Already on January 25, 1949 the negotiatiotls with minister Zarine in London, .
were canceled. 15 '
The cOnciliation was explained by the fact that: "no claims have been received
from Latvia for property subject to restitution to that country, but from Russian claims it
appeared that certain items of non-cultural property subject to such restitution might be
locat~d in the US zone of Germany.") 6
The non-cultural property found in the U.S. Zone of Germany was of low value;
in addition to this a part of it was in the West Berlin, which was in the Soviet blockade.
The representative of OMGUS wrote to the Department·ofthe Army: "Request
you dISCUSS with State and in view of State Air gram of 30 December to American
Embassy London, recommend State handle negotiations in lieu ofour initiating direct
discussions with Minister Zarine.,,17
14 Cable from OMGUS to the Chief of Civil Affairs, Department of the Army, January 4, 1949,
NARA, RG 59, Box 20.
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15
Cable from OMGUS ~ Restitution Liaison Office, January 25, 1949;~ARA, RG 59, Box 20 .....
16 NARA, RG 59, Box'20, Cable from OMGUS to Civil Affairs Divlsion, Department of the Amiy, .
January 25, 1949, NARA, RG 59, Box 20.
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NARA, RG 59, Box 20, Cable from OMGUS to Civil Affairs Division, Departmentofthe Army,
January 25, 1949, NARA, RG 59, Box 20.
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The idea to restitute property of the Baltic States to the governments in exile was
forgotten. Books, archives and art works from LatVia, Estonia and Lithuania became the,
displaced cultural objects. As thousands ofDPs from the Baltic Sates they had no "
country to be returned to.
II.
THE FATE OF JEWISH PROPERTY FROM THE BALTIC
STATES.
Jewish property removed by the Nazis from the Baltic States included mainly
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libraries and archival collections. According to information about hol~lings ofthe
Offenbach Archi~al Depot' it included 99 id~ntifiabl~ Jewish books from Estonia, 4,5 i 0
\
from Latvia, 5,050 from Lithuania and 3,470 fromWilna (Wilna/ Vilnus was separated
because the U.S. authorities had no idea about the status of the city, which before 1939
belonged to Poland and was reunited with Lithuania by the Soviet forces in 1940.)
Except this the Offenbach Depot housed the collection of the Yiddish Scientific
Institute (YNO) - 175 cas~s, and associated libraries of Matheus Strashun -170 cas~s, '
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and Hebrew Gymnasium:- 1 case. Two Jewish libraries from KownolKaunas were,
stored in the depot too ( Mapu library - 6, 819 volums and A. Balosher library - 425
volumes.) ( ...CITE? ........................)
The monthly report of the Offenbach Archiv~rDepot dated by April 1947 gave
more'detailed description of the YNO materials~ The YIVO archive included 48 cases
with 5, 615 items','80 boxes of doc~ents estimated 24~000 items, 8 cases of written
�music including 2,400 items, 47 cases ofbrochures- 14,100 items, 15 cases of
newspapers - 4,500 items.
Because of the nature of the materials, an accurate count would be extremely
difficult, as well pointless. The total figure is therefore an estimate based on an
average figure of 300 items per case. The average figure' is an arbitrary one, '
,which is known to be very conservative for materials ofthis nature. ls ,
However by July 1947 the YIVO collections were al eady shipped to the USA.
7
The Monthly Report of the Offenbach Depot for July included the list of "Shipment from
Date of Activation, 1 Mar, 46 to 31 July. 47." According to the list the LibrarY of
Congress Mission was responsible for the removal of 19,955 items ofbooks and
brochures and 157 (mistake, in reality 175) cases o~Library ofthe Yiddish Scientific
Institute (YIVO) which contained 79,204 items. 19
The shipment oftlie YIVO mat~als to'the U.S. practically coincided with the
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release ofthe government directive "Restitution in the J:our Zones" issued on July 15,
1947.' There were no indications in the"directive that ether Jewish or non-Jewish property
from the Baltic States could be removed to the U.S. by the American government
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agencies. There are no documents found putting light on the decision of the officials of
the Offenbach Depot to send the YIVO collections to the US. It is clear that the fate of
the archives was not discussed with MFA&A branch or corresponding bodies of
OMGUS. An attempt to rise any question connected to the disposition of the Baltic
property immediately could be followed by long and complicated discussion. It seems
18
19
Monthly report, Offenbach Archival Depot, April 1947, p. 8 ........ ..
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Monthly report, Offenbach Archival Depot, July 1947, p. 8 .......:
�that the decision toreinove the VIVO materials:to the U.S .. was a manifestation of
voluntarism of the administration of the Offeribach Archival Depot.
After the disposition of the YIVOmany valuable Jewish books remained from the
,
Baltic States remained in the U.S. custody. The Offenbach Archival Depot contained
"close to 30.000 items, s~ized by the Einsatzstab Rosenberg in the Baltic States. ,,20
Already in the fall of 1948 the U.S. Military Government was hurrying the
Department of the Army to take a decision on disposition of the Jewish property from
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Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - "request earliest possible decision on Jewish cultural
property of Baltic origin.n21
Representatives of the Offenbach Archival Depot knew that the majority of the
books"ofBaltic origin were identifiable and belonged to public libraries:
Of these 10.256 books of Baltic origin are"still in course of processing. Since a
large percentage of these books consists of material which may be presumed to
have originated in libraries of Jewish Scholars, .the entire lot, with the exception
of a lot of publications of the Latvian Parliament, are being treated as Jewish
property.
In the case of the Li~huanian books, which comprise the largest lot, Hebrew and
Yiddish language works, plus materials with Jewish content in Russian
predominate.
,.
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. "The Latvian materials, except for publications of the Latvian Parliament and a
few other items bear, in the majority of cases, Hebrew Library Markings .
. The investigation of these bookS of Baltic origin was made by Mr. Joshua STAR,
. in cooperation with the Depot's expert on Baltic languages. Mr. STARR called
"
20
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Baltic Countries. Undated. NARA, RG 260, Box 13, the PropertyDivision.
21 Property Removed from Lithuania, latVia and Estonia. Cable from Hays, OMGUS, to Department
of the Army, October 28, 1948, NARA, RG 56, Box 82, Gennany, Looted Property.
.
�attention to the fact that a large percentage of the books bear call numbers,
indicating that this part of the collection at least, did not come from private
libraries. He also showed that the cultural life of the more important cities of the
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Baltic area was largely Jewish.
Property in question included Jewish owned books from Latvia:
201 i
Rigas Pilsetas Zidu Pamatskola
Rigas Zidu Saviesigas Biedribas B'ibl. .
<.
517
,
Rigas Pilsetas 5. Ereju Vidunskola
279
Latvia Ha Tarbut "Trumpeldo" Kadenia
176
Zidu Privates Ezras
145
Ebreju Jugesanas Nams
128
Rauchvargera J. Gimnasijas B i b l . 1 1 6
Miscellaneous small libraries and private owners (detailed list available at the
'. Offenbach Archival depot if required )
c.2515
Miscellaneous unidentifiable as to individual owner but clearly of Latvian Jewish
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origin
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;rhe Estonian books "included 106 of Jewish ownership (miscellanedus.)"(Baltic
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Books: Memorandum to Reparations & Resti~tion Branch, Property Division, OMGUS
from Henry D. Anastasas, Major CAC, Chief, MF A&A Section, OMGUS, February 8,
1949)
22
~onthly Report, Offenbach Archival Depot, October 1948 ............ : .. .
�But the most important 'part of the Jewish property from the Baltic countries
originated from Lithuania, which had before the
war the highest percentage of Jewish
population:
IfVilna is regarded as historically Lithuanian and the two libraries known as
"Iwria" and Jeschiwo-Mir" are, as presently believed, fonner Lithuanian
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institutions, the break-down of the 19,207 Lithuanian books is as follows:
Vilna
3;477
Kovno
'5,880'
Mapu (Vilna, Private Library)
7, 145
--------------------------------------------,
,
16,502
Iwria'
Jeschiwo-Mir
887
1,818
,2, 705
19,207
the principal Lithuanian libraries represented in addition to, Mapu, Iwria and,
Jeschiwo-Mir above mentioned are:
Biblioteka Gimn, Hum. Z jez.wykl. polskim '
G. EpszyejJia wWilniw
171"
23 Latvian Cul~al Property H~ld in Hessen, Memorandum to Mr. M'cJunkins fromUenry D.
Anastasas, Major CAC, January 14, 19,49, NARA, RG 260, Box 23, Repatriations and Restitution, Latvian
Meters,
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Husm Debeit-Hamidrash Poalei Tzedkem Wilno 168,
Kinderbibliothek Z.B.K. Wilno ,
251
Lewinskij Hayjkil, Wilno (private)
178
Lejba Libszyc, Wilno (private)
409
Sefria Al-yad Ha-Talmud Torah Ha-~oili
Be-Vilna Le-Zeher Hamanoah Rabbi Dover
Yakow Zondel Halohen Kambor Zihrono '
Le:-Veraha
290
Kleiner Bibliotheken (ca. 175)
1: 574
436
Privat Besitzer (ca. 105)
3,477
Kovno
A. Guerewitsch, Kovno (private)
.
353
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Beit Ha-Musar Al -Yedai Ha Meyssased
Admer Rabbi'Israel Salont (private) ",
102
Biblioteka "Kultura", Kaune
750
Kauna Zyda Laidotoju Sajungos MaldtrNamai
187
LTSR Tninsporto Darbininku ir Transautoju
Prof. Sajungo Kauno
,149
Mordehai Ben Rabbi JosefKerimer, Kovno
162
(private)
Ka~s~Karmelitai
101
Rabinas 1. Rozensonis, Kaunas (private)
195
Rabinas A. Brojadas,
(private)
, Sinagegos Valduba, Kaunas '
139
�Vilijampole, Beucherlager bei der judischen
386
Ghetto-Gemeinde
Vilijampoles Zydu Liaudies Biblioteka
267
Vyriausias Rabinas B. Sapiro, Kaunas'
102
; "
(private)
KleinereBibliotheken (ca. 215)
1,671
Private Besitzer (ca. 255)
1,316
5, 880 24
•,It is interesting that the collection of Jewish books of Baltip origin included both
religious rabbinical libraries and such secular collections as different children libraries,
the library of the society "Kultura" in Kaunas and even the library of Professor Sajungo,
official of the Soviet ministry of Transporation and Auto transport of the Lithuanian'
Soviet Socialist Republic.
, Despite the fact that the' identification ofthemajo'rity of the books was easy, the
decision of Washington not to return them to the Soviet Union made inquires about
whereabouts of the right~l owners and the status of institutions of belonging practically
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impossible.
In March of 1949 it was proposed that all materials of Jewish origin from the
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Baltic States would be transfonned ,to the JewishCultural Reconstruction. Hope to save
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�the collections in their wholeness in case of the future claiIh~ failed - the Jewish Cultural
Reconstruction refused such option:
"Proposal to transfonn these properties to Jewish CultUral r~construction, the
collections to be maintained intact and in such condition that they could be restitUted to
the countries of origin at some indefinite future date not acceptable to Jewish Cultural
. Reconstruction .. .It is recommended that effort be made to detennine through State
Department channels if owning institutions of Jewish books in Lithuania and Latvia are
.existent today. If infonnation can be obtained and owning ·libraries or institutions are not
existent we recommend these Jewish books together with 106 from Estoriia be transferred
. outright to Jewish Cultural Reconstruction if acceptable to that organization for
distribution in perpetuation of Jewish cultural heritage.
We are anxious to obtain early decision on this property to expedite close-out of
collecting points. ,,25
.However the State Department transferred the responsibility to check the status of
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the rightful owners to the Jewish Reconstruction. The Department of the Army infonned
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CulturaiProperty Held in Hessen. Memo~dum to Mr. Mcjunkins from Henry D.
Anastasas, Major CAC, January 14,1949, NARA, RG 260, Box 23, Repatriations and Restitution, Latvian
Meters
24. Latvian
25 Disposition of Jewish Cultural Properties from Baltic States, Cable from OMGUS, signed by Hays
to the Department of the Army, March 2,1949, NARA,RG 260, Box 607;Dec~a1 file.
�OMGUS on March 30, 1949 that: "State has requested JRC NYKfor any info they may
be able furnish regarding present status ownership ofitems. i,26
On May 29 the final decision on the disposition of the Jewish property from the
Baltic Sates was taken. The Department of the Anny informed OMGUS that: "State
Dept has been advised by JCR, NYC, unlikelihood most ,of owners this prop stili in
existence. JCR has offered to take over all this prop, agreeing exer~ise reasonable.
.
,
,
'.
'
diligence locate such owners as may still bein existence and effect restitution their prop.
Prop non restituted at end of2 years could be despod ~fby JCR in same manner as
heirless or unidentifiable prop reed by JCR, US Zo~e..
State Dept in comm. to Dr. Joshua Starr of JCR has ~cptd [accepted] this proposal
.
.
.
with understanding specific arrangements to be worked out between you and JCR
representative in Germany."
The decision of the U.S. government not to return to the U.S.S.R. cultural
property of the Baltic States,leaded to violation of the Military Law 59. According to the
law only unidentifiable or heirless Jewish property could be transferred to the Jewish
successor organizations. The libraries from the Baltic countries belonged to different
owners, whose status in the moment of transfer was not known.
It is unlikely th~t JCR had chance to demonstrate "reasonable· diligence" in return
of the Baltic books or even in checking the status of their owners. Cold war was reaching
26 Disposition of Baltic Jewish Properties, Cable from Department of the Army to OMGUS, March.
30,1949, NARA, RG 260; Box 607, Decimal File,
�"
its focal point - any inquires in the Baltic States were impossible. The numerous
,
,
I
. .
..
libraries from Vilnus, Kaunas, Tallinn and Riga were atomized and ceased to exist in
,
their wholeness.
III. ; NON-JEWISH PROPERTY FROM THE BALTIC STATES
Non- Jewish property from the Baltic States could be divided in tWo groups - ,
libraries and works of art. Among the book collections were 870 books from Estonian
libraries (including the Library ofKaitseliidu [Estonian Nationalist Para-military
Organization, Garrison of Tallinn and the Library ofthe Communist Party Schooli7; The
non-J~wis~ books from Latvia belonged to;
, i
"Library of the Latvian Parliament 1100
Rigas Pilsetas Biblioteca
161 (i
Sattermes Sapulces Biblioteca
201 '
Communist Party Center Library
164
Riga Biblioteca Pishskij
143
Miscellaneous small libraries and
private owners (t9tal about 130)
934
27 Baltic Books. Memorandum to Reparations & Restitution Branch, Property Division, OMGUS
from Heruy D. Anastasas, Major CAC, Chief, MFA&A Section, OMGUS, February 8, 1949
�4158"
,
(Latvian Cultural Property Held in Hessen. Memorandum to Mr. Mcjunkins from
HenrY D. Anastasas, Major CAe, January 14,1949, NARA, RG 260, Box '23,
Repatriations and Restitution, Latvian Meters.)
However the most important·objects were not books but art ~orks'from Estonia
and Latvia.
"Also of Estonian origin are 6 cases 'of church treasures from .th'e Monastery
.,,'
Petschura consisting of books, silverware, icons, ecclesiastical vestments, paintings and
. coins. This monastery is believed to be of the Greek Orthodox Church" - OMGUS
"
i
,
.
informed the Chief of Civil Affairs Division. "It is suggested effort be made to learn
through St~te Department channels if mentioned institutions in Estonia still exist, end
through State or Orthodox Church of present status of Petschur Monastery. Suggesttalks
. .
.
.
'.
,by sate with recognized representatives of Estonia re disposition these properties in
considered desirable by State~"28
The Monastery called in the OM GUS document "Petschura" existed in 1949. It
was in the property of the Russian Orthodox Church, but it was not in Estonia any more.
'After the war Psokovo-Pecherskii Monastery according to the new demarcation ofthe
boarder between Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic and'Russian Soviet Federal Socialist,
,
Republic was included into the Pskov region of the Russian Federation. However the
.
I
' .
..
,'
I
."
•
•
�State Department didn't try to establish the status of the monastery through the church
channels.
Another important group of art, objects belonged to Latvia: "Also of Latvian
origin is a single group of objects the "Shwarzhaeupter Treasure" consisting of 85 pieces
of o~amentalsilver of varying age and importance ide~tifiable byen~eled crests
bearing the heraldic syrllbol of a Moo~'s head probably Hanseatic formerly seated in'
.
,
,
, On September 7, 1951 the "Shwarzhaeupter Treasure" was restituted to ,Baron
Wolfvon Kleist, Geschaeftsfuehrer derDeutsch- Baltischen Landsmannschaft.3o The,
basis for the return of the unique treasure, which included n~erous objects de art made
of silver, dated by the 16th and 1t h centuries was an affidavit signed by Carl Torchiani,
Oberkammerer der "Compagnie der Schwarzen Haupter zu Riga. ',' Ac~ording to the
affidavit the treasure was removed from Riga in the fall of 1939. 31
The fate of the other Non-1ewish cultural property from the Baltic States was
decided in different way. On April
,
8, 1949 Department of the Amiy notified OMGUS: '
.
-
~
.'
.
Cultural Property frOIr\ 'Non-Jewish Sources Removed from Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia. Cable
from OMGUS to Chief of Staff of US Anny for Chief Civil Affairs Division, March 1,1949, NARA, RG
59, Box 20.
.
28
, 29 Cultural Property from Non~Je~sh Sources Removed from Estonia, Lith~ania and Latvia. Cabl~
from OMGUS to Chief of Staff of US Anny for¢hiefCivil Affairs Division; March 1, 1949, NARA, RG
59, Box 20.
, 30 Custody
Receipt Form. Sept~mber 7, 1951, NARA, RG 260, Box 105, Ardelia Hall Collection.
,"
�"After careful consideration all possibilities disposition this property State
believes only solution consistent with applicable US policies is farther retention this
property in Gennany ...
Since you cannot continue retain custody this property recommend 'you arrange
for storage by suitable Gennan museums in accordance nonnal museum practice store'
property this circumstance with~ut charge, such museum to actas custodian holding
property to order of US Military Government pending further developments." (Cable
from,Hq Department ofthe Anny, Civil Affairs Division to OMGUS, April 8, 1949, '
NARA, RG 59, Box 20.)
OMGUS reported to Dep8.rtment ofthe Anny on April i4: "Such'properties will
be held in Gennany under Mil Govt control pending future developments enabling
decision as to final disposition." (Looted non-Jewish Cultural Property of Baltic Origin.
.
Cable from OMGUS signedb):' Hays to Department of the Anny, April 14, 1949,NARA, ,
RG 260, Box 607, Decimal File.)
The American officials ,hardly could imagine that they created the time bomb and
that the "decision on the final disposition" of such Baltic cultural property as the Pskovo
"
'.
.r,
•
Pecherskii monastery treasures will be taken, as late as March 1971 and will be unpleasant
for the United States;
"
31 Erklarung zur Vorlag~ bei United States High Commi~~ioner for Gerarnny Public Affairs, '
Education and Cultural Relations Division signed by Carl Torchiarii, August 31,1951, NARA; RG 260,
Box 105, Ardelia Hall Collection.
�All Baltic books and the monastery treasure were left in the Wiesbaden Museum:
, " Left in Wiesbaden with moth balls and as well packed as possible but it is now 4 years
since transfer and they are stored in basement.,,32
On May 2, 1955 Grochowiak, Director of the Museum ofIcons, The City
Museum of Recklinghausen addressed to the State Department with the request to permit
the transfer of the treasures of the Peschura Monastery from'the Wiesbaden Landes
Museum to the Icon Museum in Reklinghausen. 33
On May 27 the State Department notified the U.S. Embassy in Bonn about the
request of Grochowiak: "It is presuined that these restitutable objects in the custody of
the Wiesbaden museum were transferred to the trusteeship of the Federal Republic or the
Lend of Hesse.
Please inform the Foreign Office that in view of German sovereign status the
proposal made by Dr. Weiler (director ofWiesbaden Museum) and Mr. Grochowiak
should now be deci'ded by th~ appropriate German authorities.,,34 '
.
The monastery treasure was transferred to Reklinghausen. However the museum
I
didn't succeed to keep it new holdings in s~crecy forever.
32
Property at Wiesbaden Museum. Undated. NARA, RG 59, Box 20.'
33 Letter
Ardeli~
of Grochowiak, Director of the' Museuni ofIcons, The City Museum of Recklinghausen to
Hall, Arts aJ1.d Monuments Officer, US Department of State, May 2, 1955. NARA, RG 59, Box 20.
34 Request of Mr. Grochowiak, Director of the Recklinghausen Ikonen Museum, Letter of Department
of State to U.S. Embassy in Bonn, May 27,1955, NARA;RG 59, Box 20.
'
�.
On March 9, 1971 U.S.
and the
.,
Em~assy
Bonn sent a telegram to the State Department
u.s. Embassy Moscow informing them that:
After initial storing by the La'ndesmuseum in Wiesbaden, the collection was
· turned over to the museum in Recklinghausen which is well kllown in Germany
'. for its special qualifications for dealing with art of the type in question. The
.
collection has not been open to the public and the museum has apparently taken
pains to preserve items which otherwise would have been subject to
· deterioration.
· Recently stories about the collection have appeared in the public press, in
i particular in London Sunday Times, apparently stimulated by individuals, who
, became interested in the subject. The stories have left the impression that the
: museum.is holding stolen property. The' publicity has resulted in numerous
, requests from the press to see the collection as well as claims by individuals and
groups asserting that they had such property taken from them by German forces
during World War II.
.
. The director of the Recklinghausen Museum is greatly indignant as a result of the
adverse publicity his museum received, and has threatened that if the matter is
. not settled promptly, he will bring the entire collection to Bonn and offload it on .
the steps of the Foreign Office. The Foreign Office officials did not appear to
consider the threat as an idle one. 35
Gemian Foreign Office stated:
,that it was not sure who is e~titled to'Make deCisions regarding the property and '
does not want to take action without consultation with the U.S. Goveriunent. '
Specifically, the FRG needs to know urgently whether the U.S. Government
considers that it still has an interest in the ccillecti6n and whether the U.S.
.
'Government wants to decide what should be done with it. 36
More than twenty years after the transfer of non-Jewish Baltic properties to
Germany U.S. Government believed that the FRG is responsible for the property in
question, Bonn was convinced that Washington would take decisions .
. 35 Estonian Cultural Property, Telegram from US Embassy Bonn to Department of State, March 9,
1971, NARA,RG 59, Box 20.
.
36 Estonian Cultural Property, Telegram from US Embassy Bonn to Department of State, March'9,
1971, NARA, RG 59, Box 20.
�.'
."r.
.I
',f'
Finally in 1974 (check) the treasure was. returned to the Pskovo-Pecherskii
monastery. The return was accompanied hy the loud anti-Western campaign orgaJ).ized
by the Soviet propaganda, which accused the FRG in hiding ,of cultural property looted
from the U.S.S.R.
But if the monastery treasure was returned thelihrary of the Latvian parliam'ent is
still
in Gerrilany' as the otherbooks from the Baltic States.
The restitution of the Riga,
treasure has to be checked seriously too. '
IV. RECOMMENDATIONS:
, It could he recofturtended to check with the FRG Government where'the hooks
from the Baltic Sates (Are they still in the Wieshaden Landesmuseum?)
, '.
A.
to notify Latvian Government that the books from the library
,ofthe Latvian parliament were left by OMGUS in Germany,
,
:B.
,
'
to check with cultural expert~ in Riga the status ofthe
"Schwarzel1 Haupter" treasure on the eve of WWII - was it,
.
.
' .
legally removed in 1939 or looted during the war?
�
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
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<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
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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
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[Cultural Property and Baltic States]
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
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Box 225
<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
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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-cultural-property-baltic-states
6997222