The Guelph Treasure is one of the most important church treasures of the Middle Ages. Since 2008, it has been the subject of a restitution claim. The SPK sees no basis for its return.
The collection of the Museum of Decorative Arts of the National Museums in Berlin includes, among numerous other objects, the so-called Guelph Treasure (Welfenschatz). The Guelph Treasure is one of the most important German church treasures of the Middle Ages. Since 2008, 42 objects from the Guelph Treasure have been the subject of a restitution claim: some heirs of the Jewish merchants who sold the treasure in 1935 consider the sale to have been the result of Nazi persecution.
The Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz (Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation) has long been experienced in dealing with Nazi-looted property and provenance research. It has conducted a comprehensive scientific investigation into the circumstances of the purchase. It concluded that the conditions for restitution within the meaning of the Washington Principles are not met.
The Advisory Commission agreed with this conclusion in 2014. Nevertheless, the dispute over the Guelph Treasure continued.
