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Several Ideas on Holocaust and Restitution in Historical Overview: Serbian Ethical and Property Dilemma and the Legacy of Anti-Semitism

Translated Title

Nekoliko ideja o Holokaustu i restituciji kroz istorijsku perspektivu: etička i imovinska dilema Srbije i nasleđe antisemitizma

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Abstract

Following on the overview presented at the first annual Holocaust and Restitution Conference concerning what is known about the expropriation of cultural property in Serbia during World War II and where that cultural property is presently located, ways in which restitution of art, Judaica, and other cultural property might best be implemented are discussed.

Serbia is encouraged to do historical research on the history of cultural plunder during World War II and on what was restituted to Serbia and within Serbia after the War, and to create a listing or database on the internet of what was taken in Serbia, noting what was subsequently returned and what is still missing. An entity should be responsible for provenance research in the country, either one that actually does the research as in Austria or one that oversees the research carried out by museums, libraries, and archives as in the Netherlands. Information should be made public over the internet of the results of such provenance research. A separate entity, as neutral and independent as possible, should be responsible for restitution decisions based on the provenance research. Serbia should pass legislation covering the return of private movable cultural property that is applicable to both Serbian and foreign citizens. Preferably there should be no deadline for claims for cultural property, whether individual or communal, since such cultural property is often not immediately identifiable. A non-bureaucratic process for filing claims should be established. Cultural property for which original owners and heirs are not identified (heirless property) should be listed on an internet site so that potential claimants can come forward. Such
items should not necessarily move from their current location, but their provenance history should be publicly noted.

Translated Abstract

Proces restitucije počeo je u Istočnoj Evropi tek nakon pada Berlinskog zida i raspada Sovjetskog Saveza (1989–1991). Iako je Holokaust bio zvanična politika nacističke Nemačke od 1941. godine, poricanja Holokausta povezana
su i sa radikalnom, neo-fašističkom političkom desnicom i sa određenim intelektualnim krugovima ili pojedincima koji pripadaju radikalnoj levici, uglavnom u vezi sa podrškom ili saradnjom sa komunističkim hladnoratovskim režimima
ili autoritarnim režimima nakon pada komunizma. Ideološka, a posebno revolucionarna levica delila je svet na eksploatatore i iskorišćene, dovodeći u pitanje vrednosti i privatnu svojinu, kao i ljudsku patnju. Javna rasprava o Nacrtu zakona o otklanjanju posledica oduzimanja imovine žrtava i regulacije jevrejske imovine bez naslednika opljačkane tokom Holokausta počela je 18. decembra 2015. godine. Zaključeno je da Vlada Republike Srbije treba da da zakonodavnu inicijativu do kraja 2015. Već najavljeni model restitucije trebalo bi da bude povezan sa mrežom jevrejskih nacionalnih i verskih zajednica. U okviru nacrta zakona predviđena je i primena modela restitucije koji je primenila Slovačka i koji omogućava novčanu kompenzaciju koju bi država plaćala jevrejskim zajednicama.

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Volume/Issue

12(2)

Page Number

7-20

Bibliographic Information

Samardžić, Nikola Several Ideas on Holocaust and Restitution in Historical Overview: Serbian Ethical and Property Dilemma and the Legacy of Anti-Semitism. Limes Plus Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities. 2015: 7-20.  https://archive.jpr.org.uk/object-ser8
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