Objectifs :
Establish comprehensive provenance research through the Commission for Provenance Research (February 1998) to systematically investigate objects acquired by the state following Nazi confiscation. Address both Nazi-looted art and colonial collections through legislative frameworks.
Mesures de restitution :
Austrian Law on the Return of Artefacts (Kunstrückgabegesetz) passed in 1998 enabling return of artworks from Austrian Federal Museums that entered collections during Nazi tyranny to original owners. Government announced plans for new law requiring museums to return colonial-context objects by March 2024.
Limites:
Commission’s work historically focused primarily on Nazi-looted art rather than colonial collections, creating uneven coverage of different acquisition contexts.
Proposed colonial restitution law still pending implementation as of mentioned timeline.
Geographic scope limited to Austrian federal institutions.
Success depends on successful identification of original owners or legitimate claimants across different historical periods and contexts.
