AK 5: Archäologischer Kulturgutschutz

Abstract

The protection of archaeology is handled quite inconsequently in Germany: On the one hand there are strict laws regulating the protection and excavation of archaeological Sites. On the other hand there is nearly no legal protection of archaeological goods entering Germany from outside (the exceptions are those from other ECcountries and to a certain extend from Iraq). Further there are far too less means to execute these existing legal provisions. One key to this disastrous Situation is that the public is fixed on interesting or valuable archaeological objects which can also be described as a lack in public awareness of the central fact, that every Single archaeological item taken from its original context without documentation is lost more or less for archaeology. We are confronted with a public missing its enlightenment in this point. The consequence is Germany e.g. never has signed the UNESCO Convention of 1970 on the protection of cultural goods during the last 35 years at least this has been considered for some years. As an NGO the DGUF may help in the promoting of a more effective protection of archaeological sites and cultural goods. It is necessary to get more NGO pressure on politics on this point. To give such NGO pressure on politics a platform DGUF put up a working group.