Hartwig Fischer
| Use attributes for filter ! | |
| Gender | Male |
|---|---|
| Age | 63 |
| Born | Hamburg |
| Germany | |
| Alma maters | University of Applied Science Munich |
| University of Bonn | |
| Date of birth | January 1,1962 |
| Books | Edmund de Waal: Library of Exile |
| Date of Reg. | |
| Date of Upd. | |
| ID | 792166 |
Hartwig Fischer Life story
Hartwig Fischer is a German art historian and museum director. Since April 2016, he has been director of the British Museum, the first non-British head of the museum since 1866. From 2012 to 2016, he was director of the Dresden State Art Collections.
British Museum to digitise collection following thefts
... The museum s former director Hartwig Fischer previously stepped down after accepting a 2021 investigation into the thefts was mishandled...
British Museum recovers some of 2,000 stolen items
... And Hartwig Fischer, the museum director, will step down after saying a 2021 investigation was mishandled...
Can the British Museum dig itself out of trouble?
... Hartwig Fischer s as the museum s director is an effort to draw a line under that...
British Museum director quits over stolen treasures
...British Museum director Hartwig Fischer to step down immediately after treasures stolen...
British Museum thefts: Man questioned by police
... Director Hartwig Fischer said earlier this week the museum had taken concerns two years ago about a small number of items " seriously"...
British Museum boss Hartwig Fischer defends 2021 theft investigation
... Museum director Hartwig Fischer now claims the art dealer had more items in his possession, unknown to the museum...
British Museum bosses first alerted to thefts in 2021
... In one of several emails he sent to follow up any progress, this time to a board trustee, Dr Gradel accuses the director - Hartwig Fischer - and Mr Williams of " sweeping it all under the carpet...
British Museum worker sacked over missing items
... British Museum director Hartwig Fischer said the organisation had " brought an end to this"...
British Museum boss Hartwig Fischer defends 2021 theft investigation
By Oliver SlowBBC News
The head of the British Museum has defended its investigation into allegedly stolen items, after an art dealer said he alerted bosses in 2021.
The British Museum told Ittai Gradel that " all objects were accounted for" according to emails seen by The Bbc .
Museum Director Hartwig Fischer now claims the art dealer had more items in his possession, unknown to The Museum .
Dr Gradel claimed that was an " outright lie" adding The Museum did not contact him despite making himself available.
The Museum has sacked a member of staff after treasures were reported " missing, stolen or damaged".
Between Dr Gradel and The Museum appear to show the London institution was alerted to the thefts in 2021 but it appears that they did not take sufficient action.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Mr Fischer said that when allegations were brought to the British Museum in 2021, " we took them incredibly seriously, and immediately Set Up an investigation".
" Concerns were only raised about a small number of items, and our investigation concluded that those items were all accounted for, " he continued.
" We now have reason To Believe that the individual who raised concerns had many more items in his possession, and it's frustrating that that was not revealed to us as it would have aided our investigations, " He Said .
Mr Fischer said a " full audit" was launched in 2022, which " revealed a bigger problem" after which they alerted The Police and a disciplinary process was launched. This " resulted in a member of staff being dismissed, " Mr Fischer said.
He added that his priority was to the " incredible British Museum collection".
In response, Dr Gradel said: " The Claim that I withheld information from the British Museum is an outright lie.
" I was explicit in my communication with the British Museum that I was entirely at their disposal for any further information or assistance they would require. They never contacted me. "
The British Museum has been contacted for comment.
According to the PA news agency, The Missing items are believed to have been taken over a " significant" period of time. Some of them reportedly ended up on eBay, being sold for considerably less than their actual estimated value.
eBay said it " does not tolerate the sale of stolen property".
None of the treasures, which dated from the 15Th Century BC to the 19Th Century AD, had recently been on display and had been kept primarily for academic and research purposes, The Museum said. The majority of them were kept in a storeroom.
Dr Gradel's emails suggest he became suspicious when he " stumbled" upon a photo of a Roman cameo fragment that He Said had been up For Sale and had been listed on the British Museum website but had since been removed.
Dr Gradel also alleges in one of his emails that a third-party seller returned a gem to The Museum as soon as Dr Gradel told him his suspicions, but claims The Museum didn't Follow This up sufficiently.
In one of several emails he sent to follow up any progress, This Time to a board trustee, Dr Gradel accuses Mr Fischer and deputy director Jonathan Williams of " sweeping it all under the carpet. "
In one response emailed in October 2022 to a trustee who was following up on Dr Gradel's concerns, Fischer said there was " no evidence" of any wrongdoing, adding that the " three items" Dr Gradel had mentioned were " in the collection".
It's now believed that More Than 1,500 objects were stolen, damaged and destroyed, in a crisis that is threatening The Reputation of the British Museum .
Despoina Koutsoumba, director of The Association of Greek Archaeologists, - Greece has long campaigned for The Return of The Parthenon sculptures, also known as the Elgin Marbles, which are held at The Museum .
MP Tim Loughton , chair of the British Museum All-Party Parliamentary Group, called the remarks " blatant opportunism".
Related TopicsSource of news: bbc.com
Hartwig Fischer Photos
