BERN.- After accepting the legacy of Cornelius Gurlitt, next steps are being taken after the Kunstmuseum Bern, the German Federal Government, and the Free State of Bavaria signed the agreement in Berlin on 24 November, 2014, and thus formally sealed it. As promised by the Kunstmuseum Bern, in the interests of transparency it is now making public the lists of the artworks that were discovered in Cornelius Gurlitt’s flat in the Schwabing district of Munich and his house in Salzburg.

The Kunstmuseum Bern is actively fulfilling its obligations after accepting the Gurlitt legacy. In consultation with the parties of the agreement and the task force of Schwabing Art Trove, the Kunstmuseum management has decided to release the lists of the artworks discovered in Schwabing and Salzburg as a first step.

“We have promised transparency and are now acting accordingly. We are therefore happy to be able to release, only three days after deciding to sign the agreement, the information we currently have at our disposal,” stated Matthias Frehner, Director of the Kunstmuseum Bern. “The ongoing categorization has not been completed in full yet. Additionally, we will further endeavor to emend the lists, step by step, for example, in regard to attributing the works to artists or improving the quality of the photos of the pictures and ensuring that all of them are photographed. Any new, validated information will be made known the public immediately.”

On 21 November, 2014, a legal heiress to Cornelius Gurlitt applied for a certificate of inheritance at a probate court in Munich. For this reason, the current executor will remain, for the time being, responsible for the administration of the legacy. Therefore the Kunstmuseum Bern will still have only restricted access to the above-mentioned works of art.