“Reichsbank” furniture
For the “Tag der Provenienzforschung” 2022 in Germany, take a peek behind the scenes at a current research project at the Stadtmuseum Berlin: provenance research on the so-called “Reichsbank” furniture.
The furniture
hese 47 pieces include ornately decorated French antiques from the 18th and 19th centuries, sculptural commodes and secretaries with lavish marquetry and bronze mounts, armchairs and sofas upholstered with intricate floral embroidery, meters-long banquet tables with golden engraved edges, and much more.
At least some of this enigmatic furniture was bought in occupied France and brought to Berlin in order to decorate the Reichsbank, which was to serve as an ostentatious centerpiece of the Nazi capital. After Nazi Germany’s defeat, the old bank housed first Soviet headquarters, then Berlin and GDR financial institutions. And, for a time, the furniture.
Our goal is to follow the path this furniture took to the Stadtmuseum Berlin in reverse, using clues in inventory books, old photographs and documents, and not least the more or less cryptic markings on the objects themselves. This research reveals insights into the historical periods it cuts across: the GDR and post-war Berlin, National Socialism, even monarchial France. Piecing together the scattered sources, we hope to be able to answer to the most important question: who are this furniture’s rightful owners?
Contact
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Dr. Regina Stein