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Nazi-stolen artwork returned to Jewish family

John Silk with dpa
August 5, 2019

The works of art have been given back to the descendents of the orignal owners. The Nazis took the pieces unlawfully and their return was part of a ceremony at the Bavarian National Museum in Munich.

Kurt Zeitler, Deputy Director of the State Collection of Prints and Drawings, Frank Matthias Kammel, Director General of the Bavarian National Museum, Hardy Langer, representative of the community of heirs, Bernd Sibler (CSU), Bavarian Minister of State for Science and Art, and Bernhard Maaz, art historian and Director General of the Bayerische state collections of paintings, stand next to the painting "Auf dem Eise"
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/S. Schuldt

Descendants of a Jewish couple were reunited with nine works of art on Monday, more than 80 years after the Nazis stole the paintings, casts and engravings.

The return took place in a ceremony at the Bavarian National Museum in Munich, with Art Minister Bernd Sibler handing over the pieces along with the Director General of the museum, Frank Matthias Kammel, and the Deputy Director, Kurt Zeitler.

The artworks include five paintings, three color casts, created at the end of the 19th century, and a wooden panel with ivory. They were confiscated in Munich in 1938.

Read more: Trial for mass theft of Baselitz art starts in Munich

The artworks were stolen from a Jewish couple in 1938Image: Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen

The couple, Julius and Semaya Franziska Davidsohn, had lost the works of art due to their persecution by the Nazis.

"Despite the documented confiscation in 1938, it was very difficult to find the rightful heirs," Art Minister Minister Sibler confirmed in an interview with regional broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk.

"Because of the Holocaust, there were no children, and then it was a question of who is entitled to inherit the art. These were difficult legal disputes," he said.

Each evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.

John Silk Editor and writer for English news, as well as the Culture and Asia Desks.@JSilk
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