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