Leadership Shake-Up at Bavarian State Painting Collections as Investigation Begins

Bernhard Maaz resigns as director, replaced by Anton Biebl, as Bavaria launches reforms to address misconduct allegations and systemic issues in handling Nazi-looted art.

• Bernhard Maaz has stepped down as director of the Bavarian State Painting Collections following allegations of misconduct and organizational failures.
• Anton Biebl, former Munich cultural advisor, has been appointed interim director to guide the institution through a transitional period of reform.
• An internal investigation led by a former state prosecutor has been launched to examine a range of issues, with initial findings expected by summer 2025.
• Bavaria's Minister of Arts announced a roundtable and reform commission to improve restitution processes for Nazi-looted art and modernize museum structures.
• A new museum agency, set to launch on July 1, will centralize support for provenance research and restitution efforts across Bavaria's museums.

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