Overview of the members of the expert committees
In the interests of transparency, Section 14 (2) sentence 6 of the German Act on the Protection of Cultural Property (Kulturgutschutzgesetz, KGSG) states that details of the members of the expert committees shall be published on this website following the appointment of these committees by the Länder and the Federal Government respectively.
Source: picture alliance/ dpa/ Oliver Berg
External experts are consulted by the respective authorities responsible for deciding whether cultural objects should be entered in a register of cultural property of national significance (a task performed by the expert committees of the Länder) or whether cultural property of national significance may be removed permanently from the Federal Republic of Germany (a task performed by the Expert Committee of the Federal Government). The five members (with deputies in certain cases) appointed to each of these expert committees for five-year terms include not only representatives of institutions responsible for preserving cultural property, but also private collectors and representatives from the fields of science, art dealing and trade in antiquarian books. These committees can also consult other experts if the appraisal of a particular cultural object requires specialist knowledge. The purpose of involving an expert committee is to protect the fundamental rights of the owner of the relevant cultural object, and these committees play a vital role in ensuring that the substantive rules and restrictions imposed on the fundamental right to property (through entry in a register or through the refusal of an export licence) are proportionate. The expert committees therefore make a valuable contribution to preventing the exodus of German cultural property.
Expert committees of the Länder
Expert Committee of the Federal Government