The period from 1933 to 1945 saw the implementation of one of the largest-ever organised looting campaigns, targeting Jewish people and other minorities. From everyday items to artworks, the Nazis expropriated private property on a massive scale as part of their policy of extermination. Their aim was to degrade people and deny them their rights, and in 1945 these acts were recognised as a crime against humanity. We conduct provenance research at the Rijksmuseum to determine whether objects in our collection were looted or lost by people in this extreme context of violence. While many pieces of evidence related to these events have been lost, provenance research helps us recover fragments of lives and traces that the Nazis tried to erase. This research reveals stories of persecution and offers opportunities to engage in conversation about injustice – with descendants of former owners and with the public at large.
Getting started with the collection: