Peacetime and in the Event of Armed Conflict

Wars, confrontations and conflicts in general, between two or more opposing factions, have always represented a serious threat to the integrity of the cultural heritage located in their territories. Unfortunately, this threat most often materializes in the form of the destruction of significant amounts of cultural property (movable and immovable): monuments, religious sites, museums, libraries, archives, etc. Humanity is thus deprived of a shared andirreplaceable cultural heritage. Although the practice has existed since ancient times, the destruction of cultural property has proved even more devastating since the introduction of aerial bombing and long-distance weapons. Traditionally, the pillaging of cultural property proclaimed as “spoils of war” has been deliberately carried out by the victor. Separate from this practice of interstate plunder, there is individual pillaging made easy by the consequences of armed conflicts, especially if they are long-lasting and/or accompanied by a military occupation.

Traditionally, the pillaging of cultural property proclaimed as “spoils of war” has been deliberately carried out by the victor. Separate from this practice of interstate plunder, there is individual pillaging made easy by the consequences of armed conflicts, especially if they are long-lasting and/or accompanied by a military occupation.