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German works of art. Correspondence between Lt Gen Lucius Clay, US Deputy Military...

Catalogue reference: FO 1039/241

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This record is about the German works of art. Correspondence between Lt Gen Lucius Clay, US Deputy Military... dating from 1945 - 1946 in the series Control Office for Germany and Austria and Foreign Office: Control Commission for.... It is held at The National Archives, Kew.

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Full description and record details

Reference
FO 1039/241
Date
1945 - 1946
Description
German works of art. <p>Correspondence between Lt Gen Lucius Clay, US Deputy Military Governor, and General Sir Brian H Robertson, Deputy Military Governor for the British Zone of the Control Commission for Germany in Berlin, regarding the mutual exchange of German works of art, archives, church treasures and museum material between the American and British zones, which were 'to be retained in Germany unless there is unanimous agreement of the Allied Control Council for their transfer elsewhere', dated January-February 1946. Agreeing with Clay that 'it would be desirable to establish on a quadripartite basis the policy governing the return of German works of art to all Zones in Germany', which should envisage 'the retention in Germany of the works of art concerned', Robertson states that 'there is little prospect of obtaining agreement on such a policy in the near future'. The two Deputy Military Governors agreed on the mutual exchange between the British and American zones after establishing the evident difficulties in reaching a quadripartite agreement: 'There is for example the question of the Prussian State Museums in Berlin to be decided. I understand that these Museums are for the most part in the Russian Sector of Berlin, while important elements of their collections are at present in American and British hands. The 200 pictures recently moved to the United States for safe keeping came I understand from these Museums'. On this matter, an earlier letter from Clay points out how 'we believe in the return of the remaining German works of art to the museums and places from which they were removed as soon as the German people are prepared to accept these works of art and to care for them properly'. Includes comments from Robertson's office on the planned exchange and a request to the British I A and C [Internal Affairs and Communications] Division to 'draft a suitable acknowledgement [...] thanking General Clay for his assistance and saying that he [the Deputy Military Governor] has instructed an officer of our Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives Branch to get in touch with his opposite member on General Clay's staff to settle details'.</p>
Note
This document forms part of the Looted Art Collection; records selection and descriptions reproduced by the kind permission of the Commission for Looted Art in Europe.
Held by
The National Archives, Kew
Former department reference
ECON/1/336/27
Legal status
Public Record(s)
Closure status
Open Document, Open Description
Subjects
Topics
Art, architecture and design
International
Europe and Russia
Americas
Record URL
https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C1261439/

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Series information

FO 1039

Control Office for Germany and Austria and Foreign Office: Control Commission for...

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Over 27 million records

This record is held at The National Archives, Kew

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Within the series: FO 1039

Control Office for Germany and Austria and Foreign Office: Control Commission for...

You are currently looking at the piece: FO 1039/241

German works of art. Correspondence between Lt Gen Lucius Clay, US Deputy Military...

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