Should countries be sued over Holocaust art?

Germany stands accused of making money by keeping artworks stolen from Holocaust victims.

It is alleged that German governments have benefited from trafficking stolen art and have failed to take steps to discover who owned the art.

If the Association of Holocaust Victims for Restitution of Artworks and Masterpieces (AHVRAM) win the $18 billion case they will sell the paintings and give the proceeds to Holocaust victims.

AHVRAM also intend to bring legal action against Austria, France and the US.

Do you think countries should be sued for artwork stolen during the Holocaust? Have countries done enough to find the owners? Will this help reconciliation between the nations?

This debate is now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.

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The following comments reflect the balance of opinion we have received.

If it can be proven that Germany or any other country benefited from trafficking stolen art, then I say yes. These countries should be held accountable if they made a profit from people who died in death camps.
Killins, Hamden, USA

The last thing we want for the memory of these people is a pile of cash Trevor, Colchester

Seems to me that the best thing to do is to found a museum of stolen art. This would then be a lasting memorial to those who suffered horrendously at the hands of tyrants. The last thing we want for the memory of these people is a pile of cash.
Trevor, Colchester, UK

This is nonsense! Throughout history wars have been fought, terrible wrongs have been done, and property stolen. It seems that today every injured party in history expects repatriation of property, and apologies from people who have absolutely nothing to do with what there forefathers did in the name of their country.
Andrew Taylor, Nottingham, UK

It's all about money (read greed), isn't it? What reconciliation? For goodness sake, the Holocaust has been flogged to death and the world is sick and tired of it. Fences have been mended. It's time to move on. But it can't, can it?
Stephen, Bangkok, Thailand

Artefacts where the rightful owners can be proved should be returned. All others should be left where they are as part of Germany's history. It's time to put the holocaust in the past and start looking at the atrocities of the present. For example let's ensure that the descendants of the holocaust victims return land and possessions to their victims in Palestine.
Nigel, Fujisawa, Japan

This is a legal gravy train and nothing to do with justice Mike, Vienna, Austria

So AHVRAM will sell the paintings? Do they not have a duty to return them to their owners if they win? This is a legal gravy train and nothing to do with justice.
Mike, Vienna, Austria

When will it ever be enough? Thousands of other Europeans lost valuable belongings during WW2 and not just to the Nazis. The whole German experience during that time is not just the Holocaust. There where many more and other victims.
Ricarda Frasier, Duluth, MN

After WWII, treaties were signed. One job of those treaties was to outline the punitive actions taken against Germany, most notably partitioning the country. Wouldn't it be a violation of those treaties to try to bring further punishment on the Germans now? Aside from that, as others have pointed out every ethnic group has been wronged by another at some point in history. Holding people accountable for the crimes of their ancestors would make everyone guilty of something.
Jim , NJ, USA

Will we now see compensation paid by Russia, the UK and the USA to the millions of Eastern and Central Europeans who were expelled from their homelands, and made refugees, after the grotesque redrawing of Central Europe at Yalta.
Octavio, Los Angeles, USA

If a piece of property was stolen from me, and I ask for it to be returned to me, am I greedy? I am not asking for any compensation, just give me back what is mine.
Jim, New York, USA

But I do not think that selling the ones where the owners aren't known will help reconciliation at all Nanja, New Zealand

I support returning any piece of art to the original owners or their families. As it is possible that former owners and their families aren't aware of their rights to claim their former property back, they should be encouraged to do so and should be supported in this claim. But I do not think that selling the ones where the owners aren't known will help reconciliation at all.

It will just stir up new discussions - who will get the money and what share of it and so on - which are not helping reconciliation at all. It would be much better, for the remembrance of the victims and for art itself - if the artwork would be displayed with dignity, including a remark that the original owner isn't known.
Nanja, New Zealand

Let all this foolishness stop. If not, what will the black man say about slavery and (more recently) apartheid? Who will pay? When and where? Let sleeping dogs lie please - so that their sores can heal fast!
Uche, Port of Spain, Trinidad

Every effort should be made to return the stolen art to the families. If the appropriate owners cannot be found, then the pieces should be given to a program promoting Holocaust relief. A country should be held responsible legally and financially if it has or is actively benefiting from property that does not belong to them.
Kim Coonen, Santa Barbara, CA, USA

Politics are more complex, and actions more subtle Kiran, London

People should be held accountable for the past actions of their country & subsequently profiting from it, then the British should be first in line, followed closely by the Americans. As for remembering the past to prevent repetition, it sounds logical, but seems to have failed because politics are more complex, and actions more subtle.
Kiran, London, UK

Reconciliation between nations might well be advanced if the profits from such an action where used to set up a fund to compensate Palestinian refugees for their loss and suffering and the ongoing destruction of Palestinian lives, land and property. That would be justice.
Jackie McKerrell, Melbourne, Australia

Maybe, but I'd also like to add a few other personalities' nations to the list of those who "removed" art works/cultural treasures and destroyed damaged other societies: Stalin - Soviet conqueror, Darius and Xerses invaded Greece, The Mongols invaded China, Julius Caesar for ending the Celtic culture in France (Italians should pay) the Dali Lama for leaving Tibet and the Iranians should give back that Peacock Throne. I would also like to see some compensation for these atrocities and generally negative personalities involved.
GH, Canada

The current generations cannot be repeatedly held to account Paula, Belgium

Maybe it is time to get on with life and let Germany rebuild. The current generations cannot be repeatedly held to account, and having a shaky economy is not going to be helped with having to pay out large amounts of money, every time someone wants to drag up the past again.
Paula, Belgium (UK)

Why point fingers just at Germany? So now perhaps the UK can finally hand over everything that was looted from former colonies, that is sitting in London museums bringing in tourist revenue for the British government?
Anon

While we're at it, maybe Britain should return whatever it looted from India, and revive the industries it destroyed Prashant, Toronto

Yes, let's return them. And while we're at it, maybe Britain should return whatever it looted from India, and revive the industries it destroyed.
Prashant, Toronto, Canada

A very small proportion of the money raised through Holocaust action has filtered through to actual Holocaust survivors. Who is AHVRAM? Who do they really represent? What guarantee is there that they will fulfil their promise? I'm with John E from France, this is a stick-up and should be squashed.
Mike, London, UK

The world should not allow the Holocaust to become a claim for never ending privilege. As with slavery, there is no way to right what happened. We can not be in the business of admonishing future generations infinitim. Let's use our good will to prevent TODAY'S holocausts. There are plenty of them going on as we speak.
Gaye, Dallas, USA

If a nation can be held accountable for the actions of its long departed or indeed its living citizens, then we had all best be quiet as we are all sadly guilty of some crime. I appreciate the principle but at some stage this has to stop!
Richard, Prague, Czech Republic

Germany has gone to extremes to please the world after what happened in the Holocaust... Graeme Phillips, Berlin

Germany has gone to extremes to please the world after what happened in the Holocaust including banning many computer games. I think it is time the world moved on and accepted all that Germany has done.
Graeme Phillips, Berlin, Germany (normally UK)

Who is going to police the return of the many priceless artefacts looted (and destroyed) in Iraq? Bottom line is look forward, not back. We can not erase history by making someone pay for past atrocities.
Jane, Canada (formally UK)

I think all the stolen arts of national importance be returned back to the country of origin, including all that UK took from India. You may keep all the stolen money. Please return the historically important artwork.
Raj, India

If this is going to be implemented then can India sue all the countries that invaded it and systematically plundered its resources for almost a millennium. Get practical and move into the future people...don't get lost in the past
AK, India

Theft is theft Abraham, Canada

Theft is theft. Yes, there should be restitution. However 59 years has passed since the end of the war. There may well be a further 59 years of litigation arguing over who is the rightful heirs to the fortune. The only winners will be the lawyers. Perhaps the artwork should be handed over to the Government of Israel for them to decide how best to deal with the issue. That will help reconciliation.
Abraham, Canada

The Holocaust was a terrible tragedy perpetrated by one nation with the assistance of others. However the victims and perpetrators are now mostly dead. To me it seems the victims' memory is being sullied by various groups, who were largely unaffected, turning this terrible event into a money making opportunity.
John, France

Anytime a wrong can be made right it should be done. Not returning stolen art and saying "It's been too long to deal with" furthers the notion that if someone steals something and holds on to it long enough they will become the legitimate owners. i remember seeing many grand homes in Berlin that were sitting empty waiting for someone to locate the legal owners. Very admirable of the Berlin government at that time. Remember the counsel from your parents ""If it's not yours, leave it alone". Lawyers fees should also be paid by the offending party and not the victim.
Ron, Munford, TN, USA

Instead of selling the paintings, shouldn't they be returning them to the rightful owners?
Kristy, Charleston, USA

Yes, I think they should, because the governments clearly know that the artworks that they are profiting from are not theirs, and these pieces were obtained illegally in the past. Although, the people who want them back should only take the works of art, nothing more.
Eric Buenaventura, Limassol, Cyprus

At what point can Germany be allowed to move on? Paul, London

At what point can Germany be allowed to move on? The current generation of Germans had nothing to do with the holocaust and shouldn't have to live in its shadow anymore. The lessons have been learnt from this terrible period in history and the ghosts should now be laid to rest.
Paul, London, UK

Recent German governments have bent over backwards to assist in the return of "holocaust art". Meanwhile Russia (whose stockpiles of artworks looted at the end of WWII are far greater) has consistently blocked any attempts to return its war-booty to the rightful owners. Clearly the moral is that if you try to do the right thing, you're going to get ripped off. This case has nothing to do with justice and everything to do with naked greed.
Stuart W, London, UK

I'm sure many of the responders to this question cannot grasp the horror, the magnitude of terror, the suffering, the humiliations and endless injustices done to millions of people during the holocaust. Therefore, ask the question. It doesn't matter what any of the answers are.
Rose, New York, USA

I believe that the artwork should be returned to those who it was taken from, or their families. Proof of family ownership should be provided of course.
Alexander, New York, USA

This is driven purely by greed - it's this sort of thing gives the legal profession a bad name.
Jon E, France

To Jon E, France: How can you call trying to recover a family heirloom greed? The lawyers merely serve a necessary role in navigating the courts. It's people like you that spread false rumours.
Chris, USA

It seems counterintuitive to separate oneself from the scourge of the Nazis but then try to benefit from the outcome Shaun Carr, New York

Yes, if the plaintiff can prove that the government in question received the artwork under questionable circumstances. Let us remember that the Holocaust was not that long ago and the players are in some cases still alive. Chancellor Schroeder stated in his speech at the Normandy Anniversary that Germany was liberated as much as France.

If this is true, why would Germany or any nation put up a fight to stop legitimate claims by people who can unequivocally prove that they owned a piece of artwork taken from them during the Holocaust? It seems counterintuitive to separate oneself from the scourge of the Nazis but then try to benefit from the outcome.
Shaun Carr, New York, USA

No the war has been over for 60 years so its time to forget about it. What's done is done, look forward and move on. Sure the Holocaust happened but why stay mired in the past?
Charles, Montreal, Canada

To Charles, Montreal: That is one of the scariest thing I have read in a long time. The reason we need to be mired in the past is so we do not forget what happened and to prevent it from happening again. In the USA and in Europe, the rise of the thinking that caused the Holocaust is slowly creeping back into our politics. To write off the death of millions, and just move on is just laying down the roadwork for history to repeat itself. We must never forget and those who are profiting from this need to be held accountable, no matter how long ago the crimes.
Joel Anderson, Milwaukee, WI, USA

To Charles, Montreal: Remember those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it. The holocaust should never be forgotten.
Jake, Memphis, TN, USA

To Jake, Memphis: The holocaust should not be forgiven, but Jews should not profit from the situation and impose their aggression and will to those who think differently.
Milli Malix, Montreal, Canada

To Jake, Memphis: While it's true that those who forget the past are often doomed to repeat it, I believe this also holds true for those who dwell on the past. Does anyone really believe that AHVRAM's threatened action won't add to the growing fire of anti-Semitism in Europe and around the world? Get real!
Steve, Canada

Please, don't forget all others who were victims of genocides and other government- ordered mass crimes during the last century. If we take also all the others in consideration, there are many more to be sued.
Jan Andersson, Stockholm, Sweden

And while we are at it, how about returning the Koh-i-noor and the Orloff? Or do these rules apply only to Germany?
Rashmi, India

It's quite possible to move on without forgetting the past. These artworks should not be an issue... it happened, let's not dwell on it. But just because we're not dwelling on the artwork issue does not mean we've forgotten what happened during WWII. We all know how nasty things were, and we are not doomed to repeat the past just because we're willing to move on regarding many of the issues. Would you rather we just dwell on all the world's worst things for the rest of our existence?
Chris, USA

To the British government, please issue a cheque to Greece in the amount of $100 bn for the stolen Elgin Marbles sitting in the British Museum. Thank you in advance. AIVRAM (Association of International Victims for Restitution of Artworks and Masterpieces)
Dave, Canada

Perhaps the Iraqi National Museum might also like to file some complaints against the United States military for having robbed the cradle of civilization. Art should be used for public education and cultural appreciation, not for the private gain of a few individuals, no matter how much money or ownership is at stake.
Meghan Myres, Canada