Culture
New law requires New York museums to label Nazi-stolen art
Governor Kathy Hochul signed the bill last week as part of a larger effort to raise awareness about the Holocaust and the Nazi era
August 22, 2022 6:02am
Updated: August 22, 2022 12:24pm
A new state law is requiring all New York museums to identify and disclose any art in their collection that was stolen during the Nazi times in Europe.
Governor Kathy Hochul signed the bill last week as part of a larger effort to raise awareness about the Holocaust and the Nazi era.
The state law is part of a "legislative package to honor and support Holocaust survivors in educational, cultural and financial institutions," a news release from the state’s Department of Financial Services says.
"During World War II, the Nazis looted some 600,000 paintings from Jews, enriching the Third Reich and eliminating all vestiges of Jewish identity and culture," the statement continues.
Additionally, the law also aims to ensure that New York schools educate students about the Holocaust and require the New York State Department of Financial Services to keep a list of banks that waive feed for Holocaust reparation payments, reported Gothamist.
"Today, artwork previously stolen by the Nazis can be found hanging in museums around New York with no recognition of the dark paths they traveled there," State Senator Anna M. Kaplan said about the law.
"With the history of the Holocaust being so important to pass on to the next generation, it's vital that we be transparent and ensure that anyone viewing artwork stolen by the Nazis understand where it came from and its role in history," she added.
Some of New York’s most famous museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Guggenheim Museum have not revealed any plans to implement the new law.
“Teaching and learning about the Holocaust not only commemorates the victims but helps to create a forum for examining the history and evolution of anti-Semitism at a time where we continue to witness xenophobia, unfolding genocides, the ongoing refugee crisis, and threats to democratic values,” said Bruce Ratner, chairman of the Museum of Jewish Heritage Board of Trustees.
