Register Tracks Looted WWII Art
Monday, March 26th, 2001 Fraud Property TechnologyA database used to recover stolen artwork and other treasures, as well as expose fraud against the insurance industry, is helping Holocaust survivors track down stolen World War II treasures. The Art Loss Register offers its services free of charge to Holocaust survivors and has two full-time employees dedicated to the search. Locating looted art has become a priority for private collectors, museums and libraries that had paintings, art objects, furniture and books seized during World War II. It is estimated that anywhere from 75,000 to 300,000 items still remain at large. So far hundreds of items have been identified with the ALR database, which lists more than 100,000 stolen items. "What the Art Loss Register does is a unique and very important service," said Constance Lowenthal, consultant to and former director of the Commission for Art Recovery of the World Jewish Congress.
