Flanders has decided to establish a permanent commission to address the restitution of Nazi-looted art, according to Minister of Culture Caroline Gennez.
The newly formed commission will investigate claims concerning art pieces potentially stolen by the Nazi regime. It will advise the Flemish government on complaints relating to items in its collection. In addition to government-owned works, local authorities, private owners, and heirs will also be able to submit cases for review. The commission will conduct provenance research and consult all involved parties.
Currently, there are two claims submitted to the Flemish authorities, focusing on three artworks within the collection of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (KMSKA). These cases will also be assessed by the commission.
This initiative follows recommendations from a temporary committee on Nazi-looted art that operated last year.
Flanders plans to proactively investigate the provenance of artworks as part of its broader approach to addressing historical injustices. This effort has been included in the Strategic Vision Paper on Arts and Heritage, adopted earlier this year by the Flemish government. Funding will be provided to support screening and research.
Minister Gennez emphasised the importance of restitution, stating, “The widespread plundering of Jewish families was a deliberate strategy of the Nazis, central to the Holocaust. Artworks stolen or forcibly sold before and during the Second World War must be returned to their rightful owners. After all these years, Flanders can finally begin to address this historic injustice.”
