Monthly Report of Military Governor, U.S. Zone, No. 2: Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives

RESTRICTED M. F. A. & A. Unilateral restitution of looted cultural materials held in the U. S. Zone of Germany will be carried out, &. Looted cultural materials will be returned to the governments of pre-war ownership and not to private individuals. In consequence such materials will be returned as they are identified under United States supervision. This will not preclude submission of claims by the governments or, through such governments, by individuals claiming to be pre-war owners. b. In general looted cultural materials will be returned to the accredited representatives of the governments of the countries of pre-war ownership at the point at which they are held in the Unite States Zone. The governments concern- ed will be responsible for packin₹ and transport. c. The United States Military Government will exercise all reasonable care in the protection and handling of looted cultural materials which fall under its control but disclaims any responsibility for deterioration suffered by such ob- jects while under its control or while in the hands of the Germans. Furthermore, any payments made by the Germans to the governments or individuals of pre-war ownership may be credited against the reparations claims of the government con- cerned. Restitution of these looted objects of art was begun when the famous alterpiece of the Adoration of the Lamb by the brothers, Van Eyck, was flown by special plane from Munich to Brussels. On 22 August 1945 it was delivered to representatives of the Belgium Government. This great work of art had been stalen by the Germans from France, where it had been placed by the Belgium Government for safe keeping. The Germans had intended it to be one of the chief master- pieces in the collection which was being assembled for Hitler and which was to have formed the Fuehrer Museum at Linz. Similar restitutions of important works will shortly be made to France and Poland. A procedure by which unmistakable loot can be quickly returned to its country of origin has been worked out, but much remains to be done in discovering and identifing these stolen works of art. Interrogation of German Art dealers and other art personalities with Nazi connections continues and sheds much light on the business of art transactions in the Third Reich. Archives. Little further progress can be reported in the salvage of archives. A collecting point for books and archives is being organized at Freising. EIGHTON AUGUST 1945 RESTRICTED AGPD 500/9-45/1076 3