Findings of the Provenance Research Regarding the Sale of the Guelph Treasure in 1935

The Guelph Treasure (Welfenschatz) was sold in 1935 by a consortium of dealers, some of whom were Jewish. The SPK therefore conducted intensive provenance research to examine the circumstances of the sale in detail.

Since the 1990s, the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz (Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation) has been actively and responsibly engaged in the search for cultural property confiscated as a result of Nazi persecution. It therefore has many years of experience in provenance research. The SPK has also dealt with the historical circumstances of the sale of the Guelph Treasure on several occasions.

After the restitution of the treasure was demanded in 2008, the SPK once again comprehensively reviewed the historical facts. Due to the significance of the transaction in 1935, there are extensive written sources on the matter. The foundation sent its presentation of the historical facts in its statement of November 30, 2010, to the legal representatives of the claimants at that time. The statement was also submitted to the Advisory Commission, which recommended in 2014 that the Guelph Treasure not be restituted.

Since 2015, the SPK has continued to research the circumstances of the sale and the circle of possible beneficiaries. In 2022, the heirs of a possible beneficiary submitted documents showing that this consort had to pay Reich flight tax a few months after the sale of the Guelph Treasure. In order to supplement the facts, the SPK conducted further research. Holdings from around 70 archives throughout Germany, Europe, and the US were examined. However, according to the SPK's assessment, the new information found does not reveal any significant changes with regard to the sale of the Guelph Treasure.