December 30, 2010
Austrian commission rules that Nazi looted art should be returned
An art commission set up by Austria’s Ministry of Culture has ruled that the country’s Leopold Museum should return seven Nazi looted paintings to their rightful owners.
From:
Bloomberg News
Nazi-Looted Art Should be Returned by Museum, Austrian Commission Rules
By Jonathan Tirone – Nov 24, 2010 10:06 AM GMTAustria’s Leopold Museum should return seven Nazi-looted paintings by Egon Schiele and Anton Romako to their rightful owners, said an art commission set up by the country’s Ministry of Culture.
Five Schiele paintings and two Romako works should be returned, the ministry said yesterday on its website. The paintings had belonged to Maurice Eisler and Karl Maylaender, both Jews persecuted by Nazis, according to the commission. The decision is non-binding.
The Leopold Museum, which paid $19 million earlier this year to settle a Schiele restitution case, has said it wants to complete research into the provenance of its entire art works by the end of the year. Diethard Leopold, the chair of the museum’s foundation, estimates that up to 50 works may be affected.Leopold Museum spokesman Klaus Pokorny didn’t immediately return a telephone call and e-mail message seeking comment.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Jonathan Tirone at jtirone@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: James Hertling at jhertling@bloomberg.net; Mark Beech at mbeech@bloomberg.net
- Leopold Museum settlement to allow them to keep Nazi looted Schiele painting : June 19, 2012
- Egypt repeats request for return of Nefertiti bust from Germany : February 18, 2011
- Austrian Museum to return Nazi loot : November 30, 2011
- The man who’s grandfather’s art was looted by the Nazis : February 10, 2019
- Allowing the return of looted art to its owners : April 3, 2009
- Returned Klimts may end up back in Austria : August 11, 2006
- Netherlands Museums Association sees return of Nazi loot as “moral obligation” : October 30, 2013
- More on Courtauld Institute Nazi loot restitution : January 27, 2007
kat said,
12.31.10 at 1:49 pm
I thought of you when I saw this:
Monuments have rights like people: Greek museum president
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/culture/2010-12/31/c_13672585.htm
Hels said,
01.01.11 at 4:56 am
This story fills me with both dismay (“The decision is non-binding”) and hope (“Leopold Museum, which paid $19 million earlier this year to settle a Schiele restitution case, has said it wants to complete research into the provenance of its entire art works by the end of the year”).
The worst problem is that the children of the rightful owners are becoming more frail and elderly, and will eventually give up fighting for their parents’ treasures.