Nazi-looted art remains a major concern for museums. This is the case not just in Germany or Austria, or countries formally occupied by the Nazis, but for any museum that acquired items post-1933, including in the UK. In 1998, 44 countries endorsed the Washington Conference Principles on Nazi-Confiscated Art, aimed at enabling ‘just and fair solutions’ for such items, leading to the creation of restitution committees in Germany, Austria, France, the Netherlands, and the UK.

Earlier this year, Best Practices for the Washington Conference Principles on Nazi-Confiscated Art were announced. Reflecting 25 years of experience with the restitution processes in different countries, these Best Practices serve to clarify and improve the practical implementation of the Washington Principles.

This event, which is organised by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), will introduce the Best Practices and provide attendees with an opportunity to learn about and discuss the work of the European restitution committees.

Welcome and Introduction

Lord Inglewood (Chair, UK Advisory Group on Spoliation Matters)

Opening Remarks

Lord Parkinson (Minister for Arts, Heritage and Libraries)

Lord Pickles (UK Special Envoy for Post-Holocaust Issues)

Panel Discussion

Dr. Charlotte Woodhead (Associate Professor, Warwick University) will lead a panel discussion with representatives from the five European restitution committees:

Dr. Saskia Cohen-Willner (Member, Advisory Committee on the Assessment of Restitution Applications for Items of Cultural Value and the Second World War, The Netherlands)
Rt. Hon. Sir Donnell Deeny (Chair, Spoliation Advisory Panel, United Kingdom)
Prof. Wolf Tegethoff (Vice-Chair, Advisory Commission on the Return of Cultural Property Seized as a Result of Nazi persecution, especially Jewish property, Germany)
Dr. Franz-Philipp Sutter (Member, Art Restitution Advisory Board, Austria)
David Zivie (Head, Mission for Research and Restitution of Spoliated Cultural Property between 1933 and 1945, France)

This will be followed by Q&A.

The Work of the European Restitution Committees