Gerecht und fair?

The Washington Principles of 1998 call for “just and fair solutions” in handling Nazi-looted art. At that same time, Austria was the only European state to pass its own art restitution law, based on which the Art Restitution Advisory Board has developed a comprehensive practice of recommendation. In Germany, too, the voices calling for a legal solution are growing louder. The practice of the Art Restitution Advisory Board is often seen as a role model there. But does it truly constitute the “just and fair solution” called for? For the first time, the author develops a comprehensive systematisation of this practice, subjects it to a critical analysis in light of the Washington Principles, and thus offers an indispensable comparative perspective for the German restitution debate.

First exhaustive systematisation of the Art Restitution Advisory Board’s practice

Clear guidelines for a “just and fair solution”

Highly relevant for the German restitution debate