Role of the Courts in Restoring Cultural Objects to Their Owners

2018 David A. Garfinkel Essay Scholarship

The 2018 David A. Garfinkel Essay Scholarship topic of Stolen Art: From the Holocaust to the Present can act in the classroom as a prepared Document Based Activity. It was prepared in 2017 and the resources have not been updated since that time. For more information about recent legal developments, consult national and state newspapers, legal databases, and your librarian.

Throughout history, and particularly during World War II, cultural objects have been looted from museums and private families. In the name of justice, a global effort is underway to restore art objects to their rightful owners. We ask you to explore the role of the courts, and especially the role our NYS courts play, in reuniting families and institutions with possessions wrongly taken from them.

This activity meets the following guidelines of New York State’s Common Core Social Studies Framework (2017):

• Foundations of American Democracy: 12.G1d
• Civil Rights and Civil Liberties: 12.G2a, 12.G2c

Below is a list of the 2018 resources in a searchable table. Search by type of resource: general resources, videos, court cases, and articles.