CYIL vol. 11 (2020)

CYIL 11 (2020) CULTURAL PROPERTY IN THE LAWS OF WAR Immovable things, belonging strictly to the occupied state, might be used ( usus fructus ) by the armed forces of an occupant for its own benefit. While such an army of occupation is under the duty not to change the substance of those things. The armed forces of the occupant may freely harvest in the state forests, mine coal, mine rare minerals, use military structures, warehouses, barracks, as well as communications of any kind such as roads, bridges, railways, or canals. 38 Under Article 52, neither requisitions nor services may be demanded from communes or inhabitants except for the necessities of the army of occupation. The commander of occupying forces operating in the given locality ( theatrum belli ) is entitled to these requisition and services. Military requisitions of movable property do not amount to seizure or looting. As usual, the requisition concerns food or means of transport. Requisitions of private immovable things are not excluded either. Under ordinary circumstances, however, the commander in the locality occupied shall not seize private property, land, house, or apartment on a permanent basis. He might do so only temporarily due to military necessity. However, requisitions of this kind must comply with the requirement of proportionality and be commensurable with the resources of the country occupied. The second part of Article 56 prohibits all seizure of and destruction, or intentional damage done to such institutions, to historical monuments, works of art, and science. The provision presumes proceedings in cases of wrongful acts. The results of the First Conference were severely criticized. 39 Nevertheless, the negotiating states did not lose concentric political interest and overcame sceptical stances on the recodification of the conventions. Thus, they undertook the revision task. The number of participants doubled at the second conference, which was symptomatic for negotiations. Convention (IV) respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land and especially its annex Regulations concerning the Laws and Customs of War on Land were moderately amended as to the protection of cultural property. 40 The descriptive and prescriptive components of both the French and English authentic versions of Articles 27 of the Regulations undergone one change. 41 Historical monuments were inserted into the inventory being in the descriptive part of the provision. The belligerent must avoid bombarding all of them. Article 56 classifies protected objects into groups. 42 The provision itemizes individual objects. The preparatory work indicates that the cluster of items 38 HOBZA, A. Právo mezinárodní. Válečné právo pozemní . [International Law. The Law of War on Land] Praha: nákladem vlastním – knihtiskárna Typus Smíchov, 1923, p. 52. 39 SCOTT, J. B. The Proceedings – Hague Peace Conferences. Translation of the Official Texts. The Conference of 1907 . New York: Oxford University Press, 1920, Vol. I, p. 45. 40 Convention (IV) respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land and its annex: Regulations concerning the Laws and Customs of War on Land. The Hague, 18 October 1907. SCHINDLER, D. and TOMAN, J. (eds.), op. cit. 1, pp. 69-93. 41 Article 27 states in French: “Dans les sièges et bombardements, toutes les mesures nécessaires doivent être prises pour épargner, autant que possible, les édifices consacrés aux cultes, aux arts, aux sciences et à la bienfaisance, les monuments historiques, les hôpitaux et les lieux de rassemblement de malades et de blessés, à condition qu’ils ne soient pas employés en même temps à un but militaire. Le devoir des assiégés est de désigner ces édifices ou lieux de rassemblement par des signes visibles spéciaux qui seront notifiés d’avance à l’assiégeant.” 42 Article 56 states in French: “Les biens des communes, ceux des établissements consacrés aux cultes, à la charité et à l’instruction, aux arts et aux sciences, même appartenant à l’Etat, seront traités comme la propriété privée. Toute saisie, destruction ou dégradation intentionnelle de semblables établissements, de monuments historiques, d’oeuvres d’art et de science, est interdite et doit être poursuivie.”

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