Bavarian State Painting Collections dispute Süddeutsche Zeitung report on Nazi-looted art allegations
On February 20, 2025, the Bavarian State Painting Collections responded to a Süddeutsche Zeitung article that alleged 200 artworks were identified as Nazi-looted. They specified that only 97 pieces hold a red 'Provenienzampel' label, which signifies ongoing investigation rather than a confirmed status of being looted. Among these, 53 are listed with Lost Art, and 82 are available for public viewing. Since the adoption of the Washington Principles, they have carried out 25 restitutions, including five between 2020 and 2024, with nine still in progress. The German Lost Art Foundation affirmed that their classification method is widely accepted. They are contemplating legal action against Süddeutsche Zeitung and appreciated the February 25, 2025 funding announcement from Bavarian State Minister Markus Blume, denying any information withholding from Attorney Stötzel.
Key facts
- The Bavarian State Painting Collections dispute a February 20, 2025 Süddeutsche Zeitung report claiming they hold 200 Nazi-looted art works.
- The institution states only 97 works currently have a red 'Provenienzampel' classification, indicating restitution claims or suspicion requiring research.
- 53 works from the disputed list are registered with Lost Art, and 82 are publicly accessible online with provenance chains.
- 25 restitutions have been completed since adopting the Washington Principles, with five between 2020-2024 and nine currently pending.
- The German Lost Art Foundation confirmed the museum's color-categorization system is standard practice.
- Press law attorney Professor Dr. Christian Schertz has been engaged to examine legal steps against Süddeutsche Zeitung.
- Bavarian State Minister for Science and Art Markus Blume announced additional provenance research funding on February 25, 2025.
- All works with looted art suspicion have been publicly accessible in the online collection since 2022, with 1,453 provenances currently published.
Entities
Institutions
- Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen
- Süddeutsche Zeitung
- Deutsches Zentrum Kulturgutverluste
- Lost Art
- Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst
- Forschungsverbund Provenienzforschung Bayern
- Alte Pinakothek
- Neue Pinakothek
- Pinakothek der Moderne
- Sammlung Schack
- Museum Brandhorst
- Doerner Institut
Locations
- Berlin
- Germany
- Munich
- Bavaria