The return of something to its owner, or to the person entitled to it.

We are interested in cultural property - works of art, books, archival documents and manuscripts, artifacts, musical instruments, museum collections, and religious objects – stolen or removed from the theater during WWII and not yet restituted to their proper owner.

No. We do not charge a fee for our restitution services. The Foundation is an IRS-approved, not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) entity.

No.

Yes.

No. The Foundation is not a law-enforcement agency and, as a result, can only deal with voluntarily submissions of cultural objects to be returned. The Foundation cannot and will not initiate prosecution against any party that comes forward with information. We are a private organization whose interests are in returning cultural property. We believe in the importance of our mission and if requested or necessary, are willing to elaborate on the merits of coming forward to any individual who may have reservations in doing so.

The Foundation strives to begin the process of examining each received art tip as quickly as possible, but our team requires as much information as possible from those who contact us to proceed with searching. In order for us to handle your case more efficiently, please include any known information on the work's dimensions, title, artist, date, and how it was acquired. If a military veteran was involved in the acquisition, please mention their rank of service, unit, and any additional information that might be helpful. If possible, please send clear, high-resolution photos of the artwork from all angles—including the reverse side—and close-ups of any unusual details or markings.

Several countries in Europe have created their own database of cultural objects gone missing as result of WWII, however, there is no single, comprehensive list of every looted artwork and cultural object. Our researchers examine records from many sources to determine whether a particular work might have been looted.

Yes. To report looted cultural property please call 1-866-WWII-ART, or email us at wwiiart@monumentsmenfoundation.org

Please email the Foundation at info@monumentsmenfoundation.org. All requests will be acknowledged and processed in the order in which they are received.

Yes, please see our list here.

Please contact us with as much information as you have regarding your relative, including their military service. Photos are also helpful.

These items are not considered cultural property, but war memorabilia, and do not require restitution.

These items are also not considered cultural property.

No. The IRS would consider this activity a conflict of interest if performed by a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) entity.

Please visit http://www.robertedsel.com/books for more information.

Please visit https://www.robertedsel.com/events for information.

The Foundation accepts unsolicited applications that include current resume and cover letter. Because of the wide-ranging nature of projects, the Foundation often draws from these applications to find experts in specific fields to help with exact needs. Other paid and unpaid opportunities are posted in the Job Opportunities page [link] as well as on social media. Anybody interested in being involved in a Trustee capacity may contact our president directly at abottinelli @ monumentsmenfoundation.org.