Auktionen in Berlin 1933 bis 1945. Synergien der Kunstmarktforschung: Sammlungsübergreifende Provenienzforschung zu Auktionserwerbungen und Dechiffrierung von Einlieferungen

Between 1933 and 1945, the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin acquired over 1.700 lots on the auction market. The different museums purchased works of art independent of each other; however, some overlap occurred in the auctions they frequented and consignees they bought from. Using this as an advantage in present-day provenance research, the pilot project of the Zentralarchiv der Staatlichen Museen zu Berlin aims to examine auction acquisitions between 1933 and 1945 as a whole, rather than collection by collection. In its current phase, the focus is on Berlin’s auction houses. This method of tracking acquisitions makes it easier to decipher consignments, allowing institutions to easier identify cultural assets confiscated as a result of Nazi persecution and preventing acquisitions by the same cosigner from being overlooked. This presentation will share the initial findings, challenges, and results of this method.