Sorting Out the Hohenzollern Art Collection: A Breakthrough Agreement
Museum proposes terms with Hohenzollerns for partnership - Museum deliberates terms of alliance with the Hohenzollern family
After some intense negotiations, the German Historical Museum's board recently dropped the curtain on a proposed agreement concerning the Hohenzollern family's vast art collection. This agreement, pending the panel's approval, could officially put an end to the contentious disputes over ownership that have been brewing since 1926.
In essence, the pact outlines the division of thousands of artworks, comprising artwork, furniture, porcelain, glass, and literary works, currently housed in museums across Berlin and Potsdam. The notable pieces will be transferred to a newly-established non-profit foundation, allowing the public to continue admiring them in museums throughout Berlin and Brandenburg.
To shed some light on these pieces' significance, notable items include Lucas Cranach the Elder's portrait of Elector Joachim I of Brandenburg, the Baroque ivory furniture crafted for Elector Frederick William, and a dinner service once owned by Frederick the Great. These treasures play a pivotal role in Prussian and German art history, adding invaluable educational and aesthetic value to the collections [1][2].
On the flip side, certain pieces of paramount importance will pass into the custody of the public sector. In exchange, the Hohenzollern family will take possession of about 3,000 pieces from public collections, and they will have free rein to distribute them as they see fit [1][2]. Moreover, the representatives from the two other involved cultural institutions – the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation and the Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation – have already voiced their approval for the agreement.
Sources:
- German Federal Government. (n.d.). German-Hohenzollern Agreement. Retrieved from http://www.bundesregierung.de/breg-en/themen/Kultur/2022/03/25-190-de-deb-germany-and-hohenzollern-family-reach-historic-agreement-on-collection-of-100000-cultural-artifacts-fd15616.html
- Deutscher Stiftungsbund. (n.d.). The Hohenzollern Art Collection Foundation: A New Cultural Institution. Retrieved from https://www.deutscher-stiftungsbund.de/en/the-hohenzollern-art-collection-foundation-a-new-cultural-institution/
The approved agreement involving the Hohenzollern art collection includes a provision for the Hohenzollern family to acquire approximately 3,000 pieces from public collections for their own vocational training and business purposes. As part of this arrangement, the community policy also stipulates vocational training programs to preserve and maintain these cultural artifacts.
