Course on provenance research: correctly identifying and using cultural assets!

Course on provenance research: correctly identifying and using cultural assets!

The continuing education center of the Free University of Berlin is organizing the course “Provenance Research – About the Origin of Objects” for the tenth time. This begins on September 17, 2025 and ends on January 16, 2026. The initiative is aimed at experts from various areas, including museums, archives, universities, research institutions as well as the art trade and private collections. The focus here is on the origin story of collection objects whose origin is unclear or potentially contaminated. The Free University of Berlin reports that topics such as object biography and the reconstruction of historical contexts are essential parts of the course.

A central aspect of provenance research includes the confiscation of cultural property during the Nazi era as well as during the Soviet occupation zone and in the colonial context. The modular course takes place in Berlin and Dresden and is divided into four modules that combine theoretical basics with practical exercises. The participation fee for the entire certificate course is 690 euros. Graduates will be able to identify illegally confiscated cultural assets and analyze the origins of new acquisitions.

Course content and partners

The course content is comprehensive and covers, among other things, the goals and methods of provenance research, legal principles and how to deal with complex provenances. Research methods and the source material are also discussed. Another point is project planning and funding opportunities through the German Lost Cultural Heritage Center, which supports the course with personnel and finances. The Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media Over the last 25 years, has improved essential framework conditions for the research and return of Nazi-looted property.

In the period from 2008 to 2022, the federal government made around 88 million euros available for provenance research. An additional 13 million euros are planned for 2023. Over 30,000 works of art, books and archive materials were identified and restituted in Germany as Nazi looted property. The associated procedures and support from public institutions are of considerable importance. The return of cultural assets confiscated as a result of Nazi persecution takes place after thorough examination in order to avoid double compensation.

The federal and state governments are committed to implementing the principles set out in the 1998 Washington Declaration. Not only public institutions such as museums and archives, but also private institutions and individuals are encouraged to follow these guidelines. An internet service that provides information about cultural assets of uncertain origin is being considered. Cultural Losses.de complements this framework with the need to return identified items to the former owners or their heirs.

Education and further training in the field of provenance research is necessary in order to create basic knowledge and promote young scientists. Specialized professorships have been set up at several universities in Germany in order to anchor the relevance of this topic on a broad basis. The combined efforts of education, research and political support represent a significant step in addressing the history of Nazi loot and promote a better understanding of the cultural responsibility of today's society.