Collections abroad
The provisions of the German Act on the Protection of Cultural Property (Kulturgutschutzgesetz, KGSG) concerning the lending of such property to the federal territory are of particular relevance to collectors whose collections are located overseas.
Under the KGSG, existing rules have not only been improved to facilitate lending but also simplified further for the continued promotion of cultural exchange. Additional information can be obtained via the navigation menu on the right.
Specific guidance on the relevance of the KGSG for overseas collectors can be found in the publication Protection of Cultural Property: An Overview (p. 57 et seqq.).
Possible entry in a register as cultural property of national significance
Since 1955, cultural property of national significance has been protected under German law against removal overseas. However, only cultural property which is particularly significant and formative for Germany’s cultural identity can be considered “of national significance”. As a rule, the cultural property must have originated in Germany or acquired cultural and historical significance in the country as a result of a lengthy history of its reception in Germany. In the official reasoning of the KGSG, it is expressly stated:
“In the case of a work imported from overseas, there is no identity-forming connection with Germany’s culture where the work has been created overseas and merely imported into Germany, that is to say, where it has not as yet been located in Germany and, moreover, has had no connection with German cultural heritage.”
Even cultural property of great significance for museums and art history or cultural property with very high sales value cannot, on that basis, be regarded as cultural property “of national significance” in Germany.
Durch das KGSG wurden bereits bestehende Regelungen zur Erleichterung des Leihverkehrs verbessert und zur weiteren Förderung des kulturellen Austauschs neue Vereinfachungen geschaffen. Nähere Informationen erhalten Sie über die Navigation auf der rechten Seite.
Spezielle Hinweise über die Bedeutung des KGSG für Sammlerinnen und Sammler im Ausland finden Sie auch in der Publikation Kulturgutschutz im Überblick ab S. 57.