When artworks looted by the Nazi regime appear in public and private collections in Germany, strict procedures are enforced to determine the origin of each piece and inform any descendants of the original owner. During the Nazi dictatorship, at least 200,000 artworks were taken from their mostly Jewish owners, either through direct confiscation or forced sales. Many Jewish art collectors fled Germany or were deported to concentration camps.
It has now been revealed that the Bavarian State Painting Collections hold some 200 artworks looted by the Nazis, including pieces by modernist artists like Max Beckmann and Pablo Picasso. However, the Jewish owners have seemingly been kept in the dark regarding these works. The institution responsible for overseeing collections in Bavarian museums commissioned provenance experts to investigate the origins of works marked red, symbolizing their theft during the Nazi regime.
German daily newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung obtained leaked files from the provenance research list that the Bavarian arts body had not made public, suggesting that the actual number of Nazi-looted works in the state collections could be as high as 800. The parent company may have hidden certain works from the public, according to their findings.
German Culture Minister Claudia Roth stated that the leak might indicate a “lack of transparency” and “intentional concealment.” She also expressed concern that this could prevent fair and equitable restitution solutions.
The heirs of Jewish art dealer Alfred Flechtheim have demanded the restitution of several works listed in a 900-page document from Bavaria’s state painting collection. Flechtheim, a supporter of modernist masters, fled Berlin in 1933 to escape Nazi persecution. Many of his artworks were subsequently stolen, sold, or hidden.
Bavaria’s authorities deny the allegations, asserting that the leaked list of Nazi-looted art is outdated and that ongoing provenance investigations are available online and transparent.
Meanwhile, ongoing restitution claims over Pablo Picasso’s “Madame Soler” and Adolph von Menzel’s chalk drawing, both part of the Bavarian collection, exemplify the disputes surrounding looted art. In 2023, Claudia Roth called for the creation of an arbitration court to expedite and independently decide on restitution disputes without concealment.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/was-nazi-looted-art-in-germany-concealed-from-jewish-heirs/a-71745982?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
