APPENDIX 31
Memorandum submitted by the National Museum
Directors' Conference
SUMMARY OF ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE NATIONAL
MUSEUM DIRECTORS' CONFERENCE IN RESPECT OF SPOLIATION OF ART DURING
WORLD WAR II AND THE HOLOCAUST
The National Museum Directors' Conference (NMDC)
is an association of 30 national cultural institutions in England,
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, including not only the National
Museums, but also the National Libraries, the Botanic Gardens
in Kew and Edinburgh and the Public Record Office. The membership
and purpose of the NMDC are set out at Appendix 3 of the attached
report[43].
BACKGROUND
The question of Spoliation of Art during the
Holocaust and World War was first formally discussed by the National
Museum Directors' Conference in June 1998. This was against the
backdrop of a growing awareness of the issues worldwide and in
the wake of the 1997 London Conference on Nazi Gold and in the
context of a dialogue with the Secretary of State for Culture,
Media and Sport and colleagues in the US, France and Holland and
Lord Janner of the Holocaust Education Trust.
NMDC/MGC WORKING
GROUP AND
STATEMENT OF
PRINCIPLES
It was agreed in June 1998 that the Conference
should draw up a Statement of Principles and Actions in relation
to these issues, and that all national museums, galleries and
libraries should draw up appropriate plans for research into provenance
for the period 1933-45. The NMDC asked Sir Nicholas Serota, Director
of the Tate Gallery to lead the working party to implement these
actions, including representatives of the British Museum, the
V&A, the Tate Gallery, the Imperial War Museum, the National
Gallery, the National Galleries of Scotland, and the Museums and
Galleries Commission. With the demise of the MGC, representatives
of non-national museums have been asked to join the working group.
By November 1998 a Statement of Principles and Actions had been
agreed by the NMDC and this was presented in December 1998 at
the Conference on Holocaust Assets in Washington (see Appendix
2 of the attached report[44])
where it was widely welcomed. A similar statement was produced
as guidance for non-national museums shortly afterwards by the
Museums and Galleries Commission.
INDEPENDENT ADVISORY
COMMITTEE
In December 1998 the Conference agreed to a
proposal from Sir Nicholas Serota to establish an independent
committee to monitor and advise on the museums' implementation
of their commitments. This Committee was established in June 1999
under the Chairmanship of Sir David Neuberger and has now met
formally on three occasions and once in Committee. The full terms
of reference and membership of the Committee are attached.
PROVENANCE RESEARCH
In April 1999 the national museums and libraries
published their action plans to examine the provenance of works
in their collections for the period 1933-45. On 29 February 2000
the first progress report on that research was published on the
Internet with the purpose of seeking the help of the public and
potential claimants in finding out more about the provenance of
specific objects which have gaps or uncertainties in their provenance
for the period 1933-45. A hard copy of that report is attached[45],
including introductory sections explaining how it has been conducted.
This research will continue, with museums seeking to eliminate
gaps in provenance and research areas of medium priority.
March 2000
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