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RESTITUTIONS COMMITTEE PRESENTS REPORT ON 2006
THE HAGUE – The Restitutions Committee made the headlines on several occasions because of a claim filed by the Goudstikker heirs. Apart from that, the committee handled a total of 35 applications for restitution, as the recently published annual report shows.
The 2006 annual report of the Advisory Committee on the Assessment of Restitution Applications for Items of Cultural Value and the Second World War – Restitutions Committee in short – was published on 11 May 2007. Last year, the committee was repeatedly mentioned in the press mainly in connection with the settlement of the Goudstikker case. The committee had issued a recommendation about the case to the Dutch State Secretary for Culture, Education and Science in December 2005.
But even apart from the Goudstikker claim, 2006 proved to be an exceptionally busy year. The committee handled a total of 35 applications for restitution, of which 17 were new. In 2006, the committee issued recommendations on such cases as a claim to objects from Anne Frank's estate and a claim from the descendants of Czech art lover Arthur Feldman. The relatively large number of new claims was partly attributable to the expiration of the term for filing restitution applications, which was – strictly speaking – to end on 4 April 2007. It has become clear since then that claims for stolen items of cultural value can still be filed.
Five years of research and advice
2006 also marked the fifth anniversary of the Restitutions Committee. In the course of these five years, 56 claims were filed. Between 2002 and 2006, the committee issued recommendations on 33 restitution applications. As of 11 May 2007, this number has risen to 78 submitted cases and 40 recommendations made. These reports related to more than 600 items of cultural value from the Dutch National Art Collection, varying from valuable articles for daily use to paintings by 17th-century Dutch masters. The scope of the cases also varied, ranging from claims to a single work of art to applications for the restitution of several hundreds of items. To date, the committee has recommended that approx. 420 items of cultural value be returned.
Besides the recommendations, the annual report also contains information about the investigation and the comprehensive assessment of the facts that precede each recommendation. As of 11 May 2007 the number of claims the Restitutions Committee is addressing stood at 38. Although there was uncertainty for a while about the continued existence of the Restitutions Committee, it became apparent on 4 April 2007 that the committee would be able to continue its work for at least another three years.
Further information
For more information on the 2006 annual report, please contact Evelien Campfens, secretary/rapporteur of the Restitutions Committee, telephone +31(0)70 376 59 93.
In addition, you will find current recommendations, annual reports and other information about the committee on this website.
Read report 2006 (PDF file)
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