EK Numbers
![Fig. 1: Else Wex Cleemann, Alte Fabrik (Fabrikhof) [Old Factory (Factory Yard)], 1929/30, Rostock, The Rostock Cultural History Museum , backside of the painting with affixed EK-Number 14221](/en/e/db_entart_kunst/datenbank/ek_nummern/bild_m_293_1/m_293_1_200.jpg?html=1&locale=en&ref=29107539)
Fig. 1: Else Wex Cleemann, Alte Fabrik (Fabrikhof) [Old Factory (Factory Yard)], 1929/30, Rostock, The Rostock Cultural History Museum , backside of the painting with affixed EK-Number 14221
![Fig. 2: Max Pechstein, Fischerkopf IX [Head of a Fisherman IX], 1921, Rostock, The Rostock Cultural History Museum , woodcut with the EK-Number 15821, © Pechstein Hamburg / Tökendorf](/en/e/db_entart_kunst/datenbank/ek_nummern/bild_K_92_b_G1/K_92_b_G_200.jpg?html=1&locale=en&ref=29107539)
Fig. 2: Max Pechstein, Fischerkopf IX [Head of a Fisherman IX], 1921, Rostock, The Rostock Cultural History Museum , woodcut with the EK-Number 15821, © Pechstein Hamburg / Tökendorf
The EK numbers are the numbers, under which the works in the inventory of confiscated works of the National Socialists were recorded.
They range from 1 to 16558, although some numbers remain unallocated, and others are doubly used. Often these numbers can still be found on the original works today. On paintings they are usually printed in bold on a white piece of paper and stuck to the stretcher (Fig. 1), in some cases they are also written directly on the stretcher. With paper works they are noted in blue or lead pencil on old passe-partout or on the back of the paper (Fig. 2).
In the case of a mixed lot recorded in the inventory under a single EK number (e.g. EK 825), the lot has been separated for the database and the original EK number is appended as a serial number (e.g. EK 825-01, EK 825-02, etc.).
To better identify the additional works within the databank, which are not included in the confiscated index, numbers from 17000 were assigned. To make it clear that this is not an original numbering, these numbers were affixed with the letter “E” to denote them as additional works (e.g. EK 17267-E).