Further observations on the restitution of art, judaica, and other cultural property plundered in Serbia

Abstract

Following on the overview presented at the first annual Holocaust and Restitution Conference concerning what is known about the expropriation of cultural property in Serbia during World War II and where that cultural property is presently located, ways in which restitution of art, Judaica, and other cultural property might best be implemented are discussed. Serbia is encouraged to do historical research on the history of cultural plunder during World War II and on what was restituted to Serbia and within Serbia after the War, and to create a listing or database on the internet of what was taken in Serbia, noting what was subsequently returned and what is still missing. An entity should be responsible for provenance research in the country, either one that actually does the research as in Austria, or one that oversees the research carried out by museums, libraries, and archives as in the Netherlands. Information should be made public over the internet of the results of such provenance research. A separate entity, as neutral and independent as possible, should be responsible for restitution decisions based on provenance research. Serbia should pass legislation covering the return of private movable cultural property that is applicable to both Serbian and foreign citizens. Preferably there should be no deadline for claims for cultural property, whether individual or communal, since the such cultural property is often not immediately identifiable. A non-bureaucratic process for filing claims should be established. Cultural property for which original owners and heirs are not identified (heirless property) should be listed on an internet site so that potential claimants can come forward. Such items should not necessarily move from their current location, but their provenance history should be publicly noted.

Ovaj rad odnosi se na izazove u vezi sa oduzimanjem pokretne imovine u Srbiji. U pitanju je nastavak rada predstavljenog na prvoj stalnoj konferenciji u Beogradu koja se bavila restitucijom jevrejske imovine. Umetnine, judaika i druga kulturna dobra koja su oteta tokom Holokausta i nalaze se u Srbiji predmet su istraživanja koje je do sada bilo zanemareno. Postoji potreba za istorijskim istraživanjem ne samo pokretne imovine oduzete tokom Drugog svetskog rata, već imovine koja je nakon 1945. završila u Srbiji iz drugih delova Evrope. Istraživanje je neophodno upotpuniti listom imovine sa posebnom naznakom šta je vraćeno prethodnim vlasnicima, šta nije i gde se predmeti trenutno nalaze. U okviru istraživanja porekla imovine moguće je slediti primer Austrije u kojoj se institucije muzeja i biblioteka time bave ili primer Holandije u kojoj to rade arhivi. Važno je da rezultati budu javno, elektronski dostupni. Posebno nezavisno telo bi trebalo da preuzme odgovornost u vezi sa prihvatanjem zahteva za restituciju pokretne imovine. Još uvek nije donet jedinstven zakon u Srbiji koji bi omogućio i državljanima Srbije i stranim državljanima da podnose zahteve za restituciju pokretne imovine. U slučaju donošenja zakona koji bi se bavio povraćajem pokretne umetnine bilo bi važno izbeći vremensko ograničenje za podnosioce obzirom na veoma zahtevan i dug posao u vezi sa istraživanjem porekla umetnina. Nemoguće je očekivati da se svaki slučaj pronađene pokretne imovine za koje se utvrdi poreklo vrati prethodnom vlasniku, ali je važno da rezultati budu javno dostupni.