AS the availability of internet acution house catalogues increases as well as the digitalisation of museum collections, so the chances of finding lost objecs rise.
Due to the size of the world art market, cooperation with antique dealers, curators, collectors and people who have contact with works of art because of their interests or jobs is crucial.
Finding War Losses that belong to museum collections.
If you have any information regarding a work of art, which you think could be a Polish war loss, please contact the Division of War Losses.
If you have come into possession of a work of art, which you think could be a Polish war loss, please contact the Division of War Losses.
Restitutional procedures are carried out on the basis of international public law, but the domestic law of the country where the object was found is also applied. On the basis of gathered documentation, a resitutional application is drawn up, in which it is necessary to indicate the provenance of the object, describe the circumstances of its loss and, above all, prove the ownership rights. One factor, which often impedes the recovery of a historical work of art, is a complicated legal situation as well as adverse legislature, mostly legal systems, which protect the purchaser, in good faith. Unfortunately, since the war, many works of art, have changed ownership several times over and successive owners were unaware of their origin. In such cases, negotiations aimed at compromise solutions, which may last many months, are necessary. Restitutional activities are not only undertaken beyond the Polish borders. The Ministry of Culture and National Heritage is also active within Poland.
Due to the size of the world art market, it is impossible for the Division for Looted Art to monitor each and every auction. Information on sought-after items is most often sent by curators, enthusiasts or third parties. In these cases, all contacts which have been made over many years or contact forms in the internet service are helpful.
Currently, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage has possibilities regarding activities undertaken in order to recover lost cultural property. In recent years, close cooperation ahs been built up with the Polish Police and Prosecutor’s Office as well as with law enforcement institutions in other countries, such as the American Federal Investigation Agency Homeland Investigation and the FBI. The help of Polish diplomatic and cultural missions has also been used on several occasions. In particularly difficult cases, professional legal advice is sought. If compensation for the current owner is necessary, the Ministry looks for sponsors. (firms and foundations).