[MSN] Czechs lift deadline for Holocaust claims

[Museum Security Network Mailinglist]

Czechs lift deadline for Holocaust claims 
 
The Czech lower house of Parliament passed a bill that would indefinitely
extend the deadline for Jews seeking the return of Nazi-looted art. 
The Wednesday bill abolishes the previous deadline of Dec. 31, 2006, which
was set in 2000 under a special law allowing for the return of art taken
from Jews by the Nazis now in Czech state collections to claimants of any
nationality. 

The bill must still be approved by the Senate and signed into law by
President Vaclav Klaus to take effect, which observers say should occur
relatively soon. 

The proposal allows for claims by the original owners of artworks and their
heirs in accordance with Czech inheritance laws. 

Since the law was passed, approximately 20,000 objects in Czech collections
have been identified as having been obtained by the Nazis; some 500 have
been returned. 

Last week, the government agreed to extend funding for the Czech center that
researches the provenance of artworks and identifies Nazi-stolen art. 

Claimants can search for items on www.restitution-art.cz.