The Museum Association for the Province of Saxony and for Anhalt. The Influence of Museum Advisory Services and their Networks on Museums in the Province of Saxony and in Anhalt during the Nazi Period. Actors, Structures, Resources, and Interconnections

Presentation of the Recipient

The Museum Association Saxony-Anhalt, which was founded in 1990, is supported by the Federal State of Saxony-Anhalt. Its main purpose, according to its statutes of association, is to further train and provide advice to museum’s staff. Furthermore, it functions as a place of consultation and expertise for public and municipal organisations. The exchange of information is facilitated by means of special working groups and their association’s journal. In this regard and on behalf of its members, the Museum Association represents their interests towards the general public and other parties, as well as with municipal and state offices. The Museum Association maintains and seeks contacts with other associations of museums for the purpose of exchanging information and experiences.

Explanation of the research project

Based on comprehensive source research, the project was dedicated to research the history of the Museum’s Association in the Prussian province of Saxony and in the Free State of Anhalt during the National Socialist era. The focus of the investigation was the development of the museum association as well as its structures, personnel networks and activities in the period from 1933 to 1945.

Initial questions and objectives

Among other things, the question was to investigate, to what extent central actors in the museum’s system in the province of Saxony and in the Free State of Anhalt were intertwined with the Nazi regime. In addition, we need to understand the scope of action they had in connection with the founding, redesign and development of museums. Therefore, the following questions were among those guiding the provenance research:

•bullet  How did the personnel and organisational structure of the Museum Association change during the National Socialist era?

•bullet  How and by what means did the Museum Association control the development of the museum’s sector between 1933 and 1945?

•bullet  Which personal networks with local museum directors, state conservators, local and supra-regional associations and political organisations did the Museum Association use?

•bullet  Which contacts existed with the museum associations in neighbouring provinces and countries?

•bullet  What role did the Museum Association play in the implementation of air-raid protection measures, the delivery of the museum’s metal objects to the war economy (the so-called “metal reserve”), and in the war-related securing and relocation of museum art and cultural objects?

The aim of the project was to clarify the extent to which museum advisory services in the province of Saxony and the Free State of Anhalt (until 1944) and the province of Saxony-Anhalt (1944–1947) had an influence concerning the museums as well as their content-related work and how this advisory service should be evaluated today. Therefore, the project closes the research gap on the work of the museum advisory centres throughout Germany at that time and provides basic research for the area of Saxony-Anhalt.

(c) Museumsverband Sachsen-Anhalt