Mission Statement

The Commission for Art Recovery, chaired by Ronald S. Lauder, was formed to achieve some measure of justice for Holocaust victims of Nazi art theft. We believe that an important step in securing a just resolution is the identification of works of art whose ownership histories show gaps during the years surrounding the Second World War. Once identified, information regarding such works needs to be made publicly available so claimants may easily search for works of art from their family collections. In order to implement this process, the Commission for Art Recovery focuses on advocating and helping to institute international policy changes. We hope to motivate governments and museums worldwide to examine their holdings in a conscientious effort to identify works of art that may have entered collections, directly or indirectly, as a result of Holocaust art looting. The organization and execution of these investigations will vary from country to country. The Commission for Art Recovery will work with lawyers, scholars, art experts and appropriate groups in different countries to determine suitable solutions, legislative or otherwise. Once the best plans are identified and put into practice, we will maintain an advisory role, monitoring progress and ensuring that research results are made public.

The Commission has actively advocated international policy changes. We have pressed for meaningful changes in the way in which European countries identify and publicize problematic art and arrange for its return to the rightful owners.

To accomplish its goals the Commission has developed three principal objectives:

To encourage European governments to put into practice the Principles adopted at the Washington Conference on Holocaust-Era Assets in December 1998, as reinforced by the Declaration adopted at the Vilnius International Forum of Holocaust Era-Looted Cultural Assets in October 2000.