Most countries that have endorsed the Washington Principles on Nazi Confiscated Property, a set of standards aimed at regulating restitution, have struggled to implement the restitution plan, according to a recent report from the World Jewish Restitution Organization (WJRO), published on Tuesday, March 5, 2024.
The report highlights that only seven countries have made significant progress in implementing the Washington Principles: Austria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, and the US. Israel, Canada, and Switzerland have also made notable progress.
Thirteen countries have only partially implemented the principles adopted in Washington, while twenty-five, including Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Turkey, and others, have made no progress in this regard.
The assessment criteria included historical research on art restitution, assessing the provenance of art objects, establishing principles for claims, and returning stolen property to rightful owners or their communities.
Approved in 1998, the Washington Principles garnered support from around forty countries worldwide, all committed to participating in the restitution process for property stolen from Jews during the Holocaust.
The conference led to the formulation of eleven principles aimed at assisting countries with diverse legal systems in addressing Nazi-looted art within their own legal frameworks.
These principles also urge countries to facilitate the identification and research of cultural property displaced during World War II and to return stolen works.
In 2009, 46 countries adopted the Terezin Declaration, reaffirming the commitments made in the Washington Principles.
However, progress in implementation has been limited over the years. For instance, only five of the 46 signatory countries established commissions for the restitution of Nazi-stolen property.
The WJRO report underscores the slow engagement of museums and art galleries worldwide with restitution researchers.
WJRO estimates that the Nazis looted between 100,000 and 600,000 pieces of fine art, along with millions of books, manuscripts, ritual objects, and other cultural property.
