Czechoslovak efforts to acquire works of art from Austrian collections after the First World War

english

2025

volume 30, issue 2

art collections   Austria-Hungary   court collections   cultural bohemica   Prague Castle   Rudolf II’s Kunstkammer   Treaty of Saint-Germain

ZRC SAZU, Umetnostnozgodovinski inštitut Franceta Steleta
(Obvezni izvod spletne publikacije)

After 1918, the newly established Czechoslovakia acquired the property of the Austro-Hungarian crown and ruling dynasty located within its territory, including numerous works of art, in accordance with the Treaty of Saint-Germain. The young republic also sought to recover works that had been transferred from the Czech lands to Vienna due to the centralization of the monarchy, where they became part of public collections. The article discusses the (rejected) request submitted by the Czechoslovak Republic after World War I for the return of Czech artworks from Vienna museums. It presents the historical context of the restitution claim, the individuals involved in these processes (especially on the Czechoslovak side), the main events, and relevant documents. In the broader European context, negotiations on the acquisition of parts of the former Austro-Hungarian court collections by the successor states paved the way for discussions on the rights of states to cultural heritage.

01.09.2026