Then and Now: The 20th Anniversary of the Washington Conference on Holocaust-Era Assets

The landmark 1998 Washington Conference on Holocaust-Era Assets was a turning point in the effort to right the historical wrong regarding unrestituted art and other assets that were looted or otherwise misappropriated during the Nazi period. One outcome was the Washington Principles, non-binding principles designed to help resolve issues related to Nazi-confiscated art, which were signed by 44 countries. In advance of the Conference, the U.S. State Dept. convened an Advisory Roundtable to discuss Conference priorities. What were the Conference goals and objectives? Have they been met? If not, why? What have been the challenges until now, and for the future?

IFAR, whose Executive Director, Dr. Sharon Flescher, was a participant in the Advisory Roundtable, has assembled distinguished specialists to discuss the issue. Leading the IFAR program is Ambassador Stuart E. Eizenstat, then Under Secretary of State, who convened the Roundtable and headed the U.S. Delegation to the Conference. Two other IFAR Evening speakers besides Dr. Flescher -- Lawrence Kaye and Monica Dugot -- were also part of the pre-Conference Advisory Roundtable. They will address the issues from the perspective of then, and now. Dr. Lynn Rother will discuss some of the challenges of provenance research in museums in light of the Conference objectives.