Protection of cultural property

The protection of cultural property preserves Germany’s rich cultural heritage from destruction and damage and takes effective measures to prevent the unauthorized removal of cultural assets. The aim is to make cultural property accessible to the public and to safeguard it for future generations.

The protection of cultural property not only serves to strengthen one’s own cultural identity but also includes respect for the cultural heritage of other nations.
In principle, two directions of protection under cultural property protection law must be distinguished:

• Protection of cultural property in Germany against removal abroad (national cultural property protection)
• Protection of cultural property belonging to foreign states that has been unlawfully brought to Germany and must be returned, as well as the prevention of illegal imports (international cultural property protection)

The current cultural property protection law in Germany was designed by the federal government and the states and aims to protect nationally significant cultural property and preserve it for future generations. Illegally exported cultural property from other countries can thus be returned more effectively; German cultural property is better protected against removal abroad.

The full text of the Cultural Property Protection Act, which came into force on August 6, 2016, is available on the Cultural Property Protection Portal of the Federal Government Commissioner. A comprehensive information document on the Cultural Property Protection Act is also provided there as a Guideline.