New partners, new cases, new direction: the journey continues

The remembrance project „Art, Looting and Restitution“ is entering a new phase and continues to set an example against anti-Semitism and historical forgetfulness: The cooperation partners Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden and Deutsches Zentrum Kulturgutverluste are working on further life stories until 2027 and are placing a strong focus on education and democracy work.

The biographies of Jewish victims of National Socialist art theft take centre stage. Based on provenance research, which resulted in the return of artefacts, the forgotten life stories are now to be increasingly incorporated into educational and mediation formats for teenagers and young adults in museums. The programmes are intended to encourage an active engagement with history, anti-Semitism and democracy through art and biographies.

In addition to the large museums in Berlin and Dresden, smaller museums in rural Saxony are also included. The restitution cases no longer only involve classic works of art, but also other cultural artefacts and everyday objects. In addition, a nationwide working group is being set up to link provenance research, mediation and democracy work.

The project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth and the Friede Springer Foundation as part of the federal „Live Democracy!“ programme.