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• Pro­tec­tion of cul­tur­al prop­er­ty

  Protection of cultural property

  One of the most important aims of cultural policy is to protect cultural property, which bears witness to the cultural history and identity of peoples and nations. This section contains further information about the protection of cultural property in terms of its objectives, the measures to be implemented, the key pieces of legislation and the relevant legal bases.

  Section

  • Why do we pro­tect cul­tur­al prop­er­ty?
  • Le­gal ba­sis
  • Act on the Pro­tec­tion of Cul­tur­al Prop­er­ty

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  What does the Act on the Protection of Cultural Property mean for…

  • Collectors
  • Institutions responsible for preserving cultural property
  • Artists and creative minds
  • Art dealers and galleries
• Reg­is­ter of pro­tect­ed cul­tur­al prop­er­ty

  Register of protected cultural property

  This section contains links to the registers of cultural property of national significance maintained independently by each of the Länder. Our database provides a comprehensive overview of the entries contained in all of these registers, and can also be used to carry out targeted searches for individual items of cultural property of national significance.

  Section

  • Database
  • Cul­tur­al prop­er­ty of na­tion­al sig­nif­i­cance
  • Overview of mov­able cul­tur­al mon­u­ments
  • Print ver­sion

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  Register of protected cultural property

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• Cul­tur­al prop­er­ty law abroad

  Cultural property law abroad

  This website provides information on the legal situation regarding the protection of cultural property in other countries, in implementation of the provisions of Section 4 (1) (2) of the German Act on the Protection of Cultural Property (Kulturgutschutzgesetz, KGSG). Particular emphasis is placed on the signatory states to the UNESCO Convention of 14 November 1970 on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, and the information is updated on an ongoing basis.

  Section

  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Aus­tralia and New Zealand
  • Eu­rope
  • North Amer­i­ca
  • South Amer­i­ca

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• Re­turn­ing pro­tect­ed cul­tur­al prop­er­ty

  Returning protected cultural property

  International protection of cultural property is based on the principle that cultural property which has been illegally removed from its country of origin cannot be legally imported into Germany. If cultural property nonetheless reaches Germany illegally, the country of origin is entitled to restitution under certain conditions defined by law. Returns of cultural property are vital to preserving the cultural heritage and cultural identity of countries of origin and societies of origin.

  Section

  • Var­i­ous cul­tur­al ob­jects re­turned to Italy
  • Mayan arte­facts re­turned to Mex­i­co and Guatemala
  • An­cient coins re­turned to Bul­gar­ia
  • Re­turn­ing of arte­facts to Italy
  • Buri­al masks and stone re­liefs re­turned to Egypt
  • An­cient mar­ble bust of An­to­nia Mi­nor re­turned to Spain
  • Wood­en an­gel re­turns to the Czech Re­pub­lic
  • Paint­ing re­turned to France
  • Clay fig­ures re­turned to Mex­i­co
  • Icon re­turned to Poland
• Ser­vice

  Service

  This section contains details of the contact persons within the authorities with jurisdiction for the protection of cultural property, as well as links to downloadable forms, publications, leaflets and other information, particularly regarding the expert committees of the Federal Government and the Länder. If you are unable to find the information you require, please feel free to get in touch with us using the contact form.

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  • Au­thor­i­ty find­er
  • EU cen­tral of­fices
  • Overview of is­sued gen­er­al open li­cences
  • Mem­bers of the ex­pert com­mit­tees
  • Pub­li­ca­tions
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  • Pri­va­cy
  • Con­tact