Books looted during WWII return home to Germany

Georgia is set to return books looted during World War II to its rightful home-country, Germany.

German books are currently being preserved at the Tbilisi State University (TSU) library.

Changes to the Georgian law on Export and Import of Cultural Property sparked the initiative, which was discussed at its first hearing in Parliament today.

The essence of the project will see the Georgian Government give approval to move looted and damaged to Germany. This will now be able to be done without procedures required by law of Cultural Property.

The German Government expressed its will to support and help Georgia clean and recover the damaged books, even if it appeared the books looted during WWII remained in Germany, the Government’s Parliamentary Secretary Shalva Tadumadze announced.

"A bilateral Government commission has already been created, which will decide which of the books will stay in Georgia and which will return to Germany,” Tadumadze said.

Meanwhile, during Georgia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Maia Panjikidze's last official visit to Germany pointed out that measures were already in place to have the books returned to Germany this summer.