Thursday, September 12, 2013 -
Egon Schiele,Elizabeth Royer,Holocaust Art Restitution Project,Marc Masurovsky,Nazi-era looted art,Ori Z. Soltes,Portrait of Wally
No comments
HARP (The Holocaust Art Restitution Project) and HARP-Europe Sign A Collaboration Agreement Involving Research in Artworks Looted by the Nazis
Press
Contacts:
Paris, France -
Washington, DC, USA - September 12, 2013 - The Holocaust Art Restitution Project
( HARP), based in Washington, DC, chaired by Ori Z. Soltes, and HARP-Europe,
founded by Elizabeth Royer, both nonprofit organizations, announced today the
signature of an exclusive collaboration agreement involving research in artworks looted by the Nazi
Regime.
For twelve
years, Hitler’s Third Reich orchestrated a campaign of persecution, plunder and
annihilation of millions of people, resulting in the seizure and expropriation
of countless assets, including works of art. Due to the inertia from
governments and the art market since 1945, and as Holocaust victims or their
heirs continue to seek their stolen property, these artworks move freely around
the world with impunity, and continue to be exhibited, exchanged or sold.
This is why HARP,
based in Washington, DC, and chaired by Ori Z. Soltes, announced the signature
of an exclusive collaboration agreement involving historical research of looted
artworks, with HARP-Europe, a French association incorporated under French
no-for-profit laws, and founded by Elizabeth Royer. In fact, the identification and restitution of looted
artworks require detailed research and analysis of public and private archives,
either in Europe or North America.
HARP-Europe is a
not-for-profit entity created and led by Elizabeth Royer, and headquartered in
Paris. HARP is a US not-for-profit entity founded in 1997, which has worked for
16 years on the restitution of artworks looted by the Nazi regime. HARP was
notably involved in the "Portrait of Wally" case, where a Schiele
painting was seized by the U.S. Government, as well as in the restitution of an
“Odalisque”, a painting by Henri Matisse, to the Rosenberg family. The purpose
of both entities is to conduct archival research on artworks looted by the Nazi
regime, to assist claimants in obtaining their restitution, to seek improvement
of the legislative and political framework in favor of restitution of looted
artworks, to develop and promote educational programs designed to facilitate historical
research in property losses resulting from the Nazi regime.
HARP is advised and
represented by the Ciric Law Firm Firm, PLLC in New York, USA, and Europe
HARP
is advised and represented by law firms Dauzier & Associés and Antoine
Comte in Paris, France.
Elizabeth Royer, President
HARP-Europe, Paris, France
Ori Z. Soltes, President