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Dispute over Hohenzollern art ownership finally settled after 100 years
On August 13, 2025, the decades-long dispute over the Hohenzollern art treasures, which will be made accessible to the public, will end.
Dispute over Hohenzollern art ownership finally settled after 100 years
The ongoing dispute over the art treasures of the House of Hohenzollern, which has lasted for over a century, is finally over. Thanks to an agreement between the public sector and the descendants of the last German emperor, a solution was found. Again Daily Mirror reported, the Hohenzollernscher Art Ownership Foundation is now legally binding, and over 3,600 art and collection items, the ownership of which was long disputed, are being transferred to this foundation.
This significant agreement now comes into force and allows the objects to be preserved and made available to the public through various collections, including the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation and the German Historical Museum Foundation. The aim of this initiative is not only to create legal certainty, but also to preserve cultural heritage and make it permanently accessible to the general public.
A historic success
The agreement is seen as a sign of constructive dialogue and a responsible approach to Brandenburg's history. Georg Friedrich Prince of Prussia, a descendant of the imperial family, expressed his relief at the solution found: “This deal goes back to 1918, when the assets of the imperial family were expropriated after the end of the monarchy,” it was reported rbb24.
The agreement clarifies all ownership of works of art, furniture and porcelain and is described as “irrevocable”. As a result of this agreement, most of the valuable pieces remain in the public collections, while the controversial objects largely become the property of the newly founded foundation.
A look into the future
Minister of State for Culture Weimer described the agreement as a “historic success” for the public and Germany as a cultural nation. The agreement now in effect creates transparency and the former imperial family can continue to dispose of some of its valuable pieces, including the possibility of selling them. This is a big step as the Hohenzollerns are also extending loan agreements with museums.
These museums include the country's respected institutions, such as the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation and the German Historical Museum. The President of the DHM, Raphael Gross, is optimistic that the previously controversial objects can be presented appropriately. This is not only a success for the Hohenzollerns, but also a benefit for the entire cultural and museum landscape in Germany.
Legal supervision of the foundation lies with the Ministry of the Interior in Potsdam, and the foundation's administrative headquarters are in both Berlin and Hechingen. Positive cooperation between the parties involved gives hope for a fruitful future for the cultural heritage of the imperial family.