A portion of nearly 4,000 artworks and household objects that have been stored in depots since the Second World War should be placed under the management of the Jewish community. This recommendation was issued to the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science (OCW) by an advisory committee regarding so-called “heirless” Jewish looted art.

While it had already been decided that the art would eventually go to the Jewish community, the primary question was what should be done with it. The Central Jewish Consultation (CJO – Centraal Joods Overleg)— a partnership of Jewish organizations representing Jewish interests in the Netherlands—had submitted this question to the committee for evaluation.

The NK Collection

The objects in question belong to the NK Collection (Nederlands Kunstbezit or “Netherlands Art Property”). This collection comprises thousands of objects, including paintings, furniture, tapestries, and silverware that were transported from the Netherlands to Germany during the Nazi regime through looting, forced sales, or confiscation. Following the war, a significant portion was repatriated and incorporated into the Dutch National Collection (Rijkscollectie). Until the 1950s, some of the objects were returned to the rightful owners, while a portion was sold thereafter. However, for many pieces, the original owners were never identified.

Several works are currently on loan to prominent Dutch museums, such as the Rijksmuseum and the Mauritshuis. However, the vast majority of the NK Collection is stored in the depot of the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE) in Amersfoort. For many of these objects, it is almost certain they belonged to Jewish owners who can no longer be traced—often because entire families were murdered during the Holocaust.

Proposed Foundation

The committee advocates for these objects to be made accessible to the public so they no longer remain in a “legal no-man’s-land.” They emphasize that these pieces speak to today’s society about the importance of the rule of law and equal treatment, and recommend an independent Foundation to manage the collection. The Ministry should provide an annual budget of €400,000 for the foundation to organize exhibitions, educational projects, and collaborations with contemporary artists.

English and Dutch versions of the advisory report, titled “Heirless Jewish Looted Art,” are available for download on the CJO website.