Jewish Digital Cultural Recovery Project

The Jewish Digital Cultural Recovery Project (JDCRP) is an initiative dedicated to the documentation and digital preservation of Jewish cultural assets that were seized by the Nazis and their allies during the Holocaust. The project is a joint effort of the Commission for Art Recovery and the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.

• Comprehensive Database: The JDCRP aims to create a comprehensive database of all Jewish cultural objects that were seized by the Nazis and their allies. This database includes documentation from the time of the looting to the present[3][4][5].
• Digital Platform: The platform allows for cross-searchable access to archival documents, research, and education on the looted cultural properties. It integrates archival materials from the Wiesbaden Central Collecting Point of the American Allied Forces and the records of the Einsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg (ERR), the Nazi looting agency[4].
• Documentation of Persecuted Jewish Artists and Collectors: The project documents the lives and artistic works of persecuted Jewish artists and collectors. It includes a virtual reconstruction of the once-vibrant artistic culture and lists detailed information about the collectors, their families, business connections, and persecution histories[4].

• Expansion of the Database: The JDCRP is continuously working on expanding its database. In March 2023, an initial list of about 2,000 names of Jewish collectors from various European countries was published, which was expanded to over 2,600 names in January 2024[4].
• Education and Research: The project provides educational materials and research tools for provenance research and the topic of looted cultural properties. In February 2024, a preliminary list of educational materials on looted cultural property and provenance research was published[4].
• International Collaboration: The JDCRP collaborates with international organizations and institutions to achieve its goals and preserve the memory of the Holocaust.

The JDCRP actively advocates for the integration of Jewish perspectives in provenance research and the art world. It promotes an action plan to bring more Jewish voices into these areas, contributing to a more comprehensive and just representation of history[4].

The Jewish Digital Cultural Recovery Project is a living example of the commitment to preserving cultural heritage and remembering the victims of the Holocaust, and it significantly contributes to the documentation and understanding of this dark period in history.

• 1 - https://culture.ec.europa.eu/node/964
• 2 - https://www.hobie.com/support/articles/archive/?src=https%3A%2F%2Fxn--d1aby4ah.xn--p1ai%2Fnzfmaxtwicaffe88tj
• 3 - https://jdcrp.org
• 4 - https://art.claimscon.org/work-provenance-research-archives/jewish-digital-cultural-recovery-project/
• 5 - https://jdcrp.org/the-jdcrp/