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Cataloged by Allied forces in the 1940s, many of the items were reclaimed during the 1950s. In 1962, the unclaimed items were turned over to the German Finance Ministry. An estimated 1,000 of those artworks ended up on loan to German museums, where many still sit today.

The Web site will serve as the public arm of the Coordinating Office of the Federal States for the Return of Cultural Property. Founded in 1994, the state-funded organization has built a data bank of approximately 3.5 million seized objects. The site, which is also in English, includes a searchable archive of items that remain unclaimed. The archive includes descriptions of artists and artworks, but does not have pictures.

Those who lost items during the Nazi era also can use the site to register information and request a search for their recovery.