Renewing Nazi-era provenance research efforts: case studies and recommendations

Abstract

This article advances our understanding of current approaches to Nazi-era provenance research in American museums by examining four active provenance programs with different structures, priorities, and funding sources. Interviews with key personnel and a close examination of internal and publicly accessible documents reveal that active Nazi-era provenance research programs share core characteristics such as supportive leadership, team-based practice, and a willingness to shape programs around particular resources and circumstances. Using these core characteristics as a model for renewed Nazi-era provenance research efforts in all museums with covered objects, the author recommends that museum leaders pursue new ways to address Nazi-era provenance research needs; that museums delegate certain Nazi-era provenance research and documentation tasks to a team of qualified, non-curatorial personnel; that Nazi-era provenance researchers establish a formal professional network to facilitate training and collaboration; and that museums explore unique funding sources for the explicit purpose of Nazi-era provenance research.

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