Detail page - Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz

At the start, the portal will be available in German and English with information on around 8,000 references to collection items from colonial contexts, with descriptions generally only available in German at first. In a next step, relevant data that is already contained in the German Digital Library will be labelled as "collection items from colonial contexts" so that they can also be found in the portal in future. In the future, the portal will be offered in other languages and data from other cultural and knowledge institutions will be made available.

The development of the new portal is based on the "3-way strategy for the recording and digital publication of collections from colonial contexts in Germany" agreed by the federal government, federal states and local authority umbrella organisations in October 2020. The aim of the "3-way strategy" is to create the greatest possible transparency with regard to collections from colonial contexts. The development phase of the portal launched today is being financed by the Federal Government from the budget for culture and the media.

Minister of State for Culture and the Media Prof Monika Grütters: "The greatest possible transparency - that is an important indicator of the responsible handling of collection items from colonial contexts in our museums and institutions. It is the benchmark for our credibility and the basis for a forward-looking dialogue with the countries and societies of origin on the further handling of these objects, including their return. The new online portal of the German Digital Library is the next important step in this direction, which will be followed by others with the support of the federal government."

The "3-way strategy" was agreed at the 13th Cultural Policy Summit on 14 October 2020, which was attended by the Minister of State for Culture and the Media, the Head of the Department of Culture and Communication at the Federal Foreign Office, the Culture Ministers, the Culture Senators of the federal states and representatives of the municipal umbrella organisations.

Dr Klaus Lederer, Senator for Culture and Europe of the State of Berlin and Chairman of the Conference of Culture Ministers: "I welcome the political willingness of all levels of government in Germany to commit to transparent access to collection items from colonial contexts. The portal will significantly promote the transparency of collections nationwide and provide an important basis for further dialogue on restitution with the countries and societies of origin. The restitution of looted cultural assets remains an important part of the dialogue on our colonial heritage."

Dr Andreas Görgen, Head of the Department of Culture and Communication at the Federal Foreign Office: "Transparency is one of the most important prerequisites for a joint dialogue. The German Digital Library is an excellent partner for this task. It expands the circle of those who create the conditions for returns. We look forward to working together!"

Prof. Dr Dr h.c. mult. Hermann Parzinger, Spokesman of the Board of the German Digital Library and President of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation: "I am delighted that the German Digital Library has been entrusted with this complex task. With its extensive experience in bringing together heterogeneous collections from a wide range of cultural institutions, it can create important technical prerequisites for transparent access to collection items from colonial contexts."

Links and further information - Portal "Collection items from colonial contexts"

Homepage: https://ccc.deutsche-digitale-bibliothek.de/

Background: https://ccc.deutsche-digitale-bibliothek.de/content/ueber-uns-ccc

Questions and answers: https://ccc.deutsche-digitale-bibliothek.de/content/fragen-antworten

Press area of the German Digital Library

German Digital Library

The German Digital Library networks the digital collections of cultural and knowledge institutions in Germany and makes them centrally accessible. It offers everyone free access via the Internet to digitised museum objects, books, pieces of music, monuments, films, documents and many other cultural treasures. The German Digital Library acts as a network, linking and presenting the digital offerings of its partners and contributing to the democratisation of knowledge and resources.

To be added to the press mailing list of the German Digital Library, please send a message to presse@deutsche-digitale-bibliothek.de.