Goethe University discovers unexpectedly large amount of stolen books

Goethe University discovers unexpectedly large amount of stolen books

Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland - The Goethe University Frankfurt am Main announced the end of its first provenance research project today. The results are alarming and suggest more stolen books than initially assumed. President Enrico Schleiff emphasizes that the university faces its history and faces the challenge of determining the rightful owners of these works. Over 79,000 volumes that were included in the library between 1942 and 1945 were examined, of which a significant part is presumably Nazi robbery. In addition, books from the former "Offenbach Archival Depot" were viewed, which was set up after the Second World War to return the Raubut.

The cultural and science department ina Hartwig describes the amount of stolen books as dismay. Many former owners could not be determined, which makes the restitution of these works complicated. The university library is therefore faced with an extensive task to uncover the historical grievances and return the corresponding exhibits. This process could take a lot of time, and further research is essential to clarify the exact origin of the book treasures. According to Deutschlandfunk, the challenges are enormous, since it was a widespread phenomenon during the Nazi era that were robbed.

a comprehensive commitment to provenance research

In the past 25 years, a lot has moved in Germany when it comes to researching and returning Nazi robbery. The framework conditions have been significantly improved by the Washington principles and the joint explanation. Since then, over 30,000 works of art, books and archives have been identified and restituted as Nazi robbery. Nevertheless, the actual number of restitution remains uncertain, since many returns are not publicly known.

The Federal Government provided around 88 million euros for provenance research from 2008 to 2022. Another 13 million euros are planned for 2023 to focus on the processing of the Nazi cultural vigor. The aim of these research initiatives is not only the identification of robbed property, but also the information about the loss circumstances and the associated human destinies. For example, the Minister of Culture deals with the origin of works of art as well as the change of ownership and ownership.

scientific initiatives and cooperation

At universities such as Bonn, Munich, Berlin, Würzburg and Lüneburg, specialized professorships have been set up in order to ensure that provenance research sustainably anchor provenance research in science. Programs for further training for employees in museums and collections are also part of the endeavor to raise awareness of the past. It is a lively commitment that shows that the processing of the National Socialist cultural heritage vigor is still of great importance. Provenance research is not only considered a duty, but also as an opportunity to build bridges to justice and keep the memories of the persecuted.

The tasks in this wide field are diverse. The universities and institutions are challenged to deal with the diverse legacy that has remained in the shade of the Second World War. It is to be hoped that the efforts of the scientists, as well as the use of institutions such as Goethe University, will bring sustainable results and let the lawful owners of the stolen books happen to justice.