Lost Picasso and Chagall masterpieces found in Nazi haul
A hoard of more than 1,400 artworks found in Germany and at least partially seized by Nazis includes a previously unknown piece by Marc Chagall and works by some of the masters of the 20th century, authorities said.
Investigators searched the apartment in an upscale Munich district in February 2012, as part of a tax probe that started with a routine check on a Zurich-Munich train in late 2010.
Authorities said they found 121 framed and 1,285 unframed works – including by 20th century masters such as Pablo Picasso, Max Liebermann and Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and earlier works by artists including Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Gustave Courbet, Auguste Renoir and Canaletto. The oldest work dates back to the 16th century.
Prosecutor Reinhard Nemetz told reporters that investigators have turned up “concrete evidence” that at least some of the works were seized by the Nazis from their owners or classed by them as “degenerate art” and seized from German museums in 1937 or shortly after.
“Degenerate art” was largely modern or abstract works by artists that the regime of Adolf Hitler believed to be a corrupting to the German people. Their “deviant” characteristics were often attributed to Jewish corruption.
Officials are investigating whether the suspect in the case was in wrongful possession of the paintings. They wouldn’t identify him and said they don’t know where he is.
The paintings were found in one room at the apartment, where they were “professionally stored and in a very good condition,” said Siegfried Kloeble, the head of the customs investigations office in Munich. He said it took a specialist company three days to remove the paintings from the apartment. Officials refused to specify where they are being kept.
Meike Hoffmann, an expert on “degenerate art” at Berlin’s Free University who is helping the investigation, presented pictures of a selection of works from the collection.
They included a painting by Chagall that Ms Hoffmann said isn’t included in lists of the artist’s work.
“These cases are, of course, of particularly high art history significance for researchers,” she said. Experts haven’t yet been able to determine where the Chagall came from, she added, describing the research as “very, very difficult.”
An unlisted painting by Henri Matisse, apparently dating back to the 1920s, was also presented.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
