Jewish leader says Germany neglects its duties on looted art
Progress is too slow in digitalising art collections and researching initial owners, says the head of the World Jewish Congress
Berlin — Germany is shirking its responsibility for the Holocaust by dragging its heels on returning art confiscated by the Nazis, and failing to crack down on resurgent anti-Semitism, the head of the World Jewish Congress said on Sunday. Ronald Lauder told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper that other countries, including Britain, the US and Austria had a far better record in documenting art in their collections that had been confiscated by the Nazi regime and returning any looted pieces to their rightful owners. The US has extended the federal statute of limitations for seeking restitution of such art to six years from the time of “actual discovery” of its identity and whereabouts. Britain has put its entire collection of paintings online at Art UK, and is adding items daily, he said in an interview with the newspaper. Germany, by contrast, was moving too slowly to digitalise art collections and research initial owners, said Lauder, who also said he was concerned about neo-Nazi marches...
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