Cultural Heritage as a Neutral Party: The Role of Neutrality in the Protection of Cultural Heritage During Armed Conflict

Toward the end of World War II, neutral states served as safe havens for pillaged cultural heritage. Indeed, there is evidence that a large network of German traffickers illicitly operated in Spain, a neutral territory during the war. This book chapter seeks to address the international laws of neutrality during armed conflict and how they relate to the protection of cultural heritage. Customary international law recognises the obligation to protect cultural heritage within states involved in armed conflict. Cultural heritage scholarship likewise has largely limited its focus to actors within the states involved in armed conflict. This book chapter will broaden that focus to examine the legal and political consequences of neutrality on cultural heritage protection and to focus on the obligations to protect cultural heritage outside the states involved in an armed conflict. It is incumbent on parties in neutral states to abide by the same international laws imposed on parties to an armed conflict. Without such cooperation, the future of the world’s cultural heritage will continue to be at risk.