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Düsseldorf (AP) - The North Rhine-Westphalian state capital Düsseldorf has for the first time returned a cultural asset that had been illegally confiscated in the GDR.
A Meissen porcelain plate with butterfly decoration from the 18th century had been given to the rightful heirs, the city announced on Friday.
The object came to the Hetjens Ceramics Museum via the Schneider Collection.
Part of this porcelain collection was donated to the city in 1974.
During investigations, the city's restoration center found red paint residues on the underside of the plate, which were identified as residues of an inventory number.
The number was applied in 1951 during the so-called castle salvages in Schönwölkau Castle near Leipzig.
Originally the castle belonged to Count Vitzthum von Eckstädt.
In the course of the land reform of September 10, 1945, he was expropriated.
Between 1945 and 1949 tens of thousands of objects were brought to East German museums and depots during such actions in the former Soviet-occupied zone.
Many objects were sold to the West to raise foreign currency.
In 2015, according to the information, the Free State of Bavaria, which had received the other part of the Schneider Collection, had returned a first plate with butterfly decoration from the property of the Count that had been confiscated at the time.
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Press release