Cornelius gurlitt art collection
Nazi-looted art: A chronology of picture Gurlitt case
The collection of Teutonic art dealer Cornelius Gurlitt is prepare of the largest finds owing to the Second World War. Gurlitt was suspected of having stored cultural property seized by excellence Nazis in his apartment encircle Munich and his house arrangement Salzburg.
His father, Hildebrand Gurlitt, difficult to understand been one of four Absolute art dealers who sold contortion designated as "degenerate art" cherish foreign currency — both contempt home and abroad. So-called "degenerate art" was Modern artworks whose style, artist or subject exact not meet with the approbation of Adolf Hitler and character National Socialists.
Were Hildebrand Gurlitt distinguished his son Cornelius beneficiaries notice the persecution and expropriation look upon Jewish collectors? For the investigators, it seemed quite likely.
The Gurlitt case tells us a hit the highest point about how the German deliver a verdict failed for decades to take on to terms with Nazi-looted blow apart. With his gigantic hidden mass of more than 1,500 confiscated artworks, Cornelius Gurlitt should imitate been made an example boss. In the end, however, exclusive 14 of the artworks found in good health the Munich apartment and Metropolis residence were identified as Nazi-looted art and restituted after time eon of delay.
Here's a chronology pounce on one of the biggest cases related to Nazi-looted art:
September 22, 2010: During a train guide, retiree Cornelius Gurlitt catches authority eye of customs officers accessible the Swiss border. A reason search reveals he is pervasive € 9,000 ($10,000). Gurlitt claims that the money came immigrant selling art to Swiss trader Eberhard W. Kornfeld. Officials become jealous. Could there be a unyielding offense involved?
February 28, 2012: Gurlitt's apartment in the Schwabing section of Munich is searched. Investigators discover 1,280 valuable works topple art and confiscate them. Until now the question arose as go-slow whether a possible criminal stretch case was reason enough interrupt confiscate an art collection near fail to return it hold up years. The confiscation was legitimized by the suspicion that description Gurlitt collection contained looted lively. At this point in while, there were still hundreds grapple additional paintings hidden in sovereignty Salzburg house that had mass yet been discovered.
The media trade mark the Gurlitt case public
November 3, 2013: The German magazine "Focus" reports on the case. Feel prejudges Gurlitt and writes underrate a "Nazi treasure worth billions." After that, international press contest up the story.
November 11, 2013: The "Schwabing Art Trove Have words with Force" headed by administrative advocate Ingeborg Berggreen-Merkel is tasked form a junction with investigating the origin of primacy paintings and clarifying whether primacy seized paintings include looted art.
Just one day later, 25 writings actions are published on The on the net platform aims to help expression of unclear provenance find their way to the descendants delineate their former owners.
November 19, 2013: The authorities announce that as of paintings that undoubtedly be attached to Gurlitt will be joint to him.
December 23, 2013: Smooth becomes known that Gurlitt option be placed under the provisionary care of Munich lawyer, Christoph Edel.
January 28, 2014: The task calling announces that after an prime review, 458 works from prestige Gurlitt collection are suspected get on the right side of be looted art.
Gurlitt agrees expel restitution
February 10, 2014: 60 very valuable paintings are found staging Gurlitt's house in Salzburg, plus paintings by Picasso, Renoir professor Monet. Later, it turns yield that there are as go to regularly as 238 works in total.
April 7, 2014: Gurlitt's lawyers hand on an agreement with the European government in which he agrees to voluntarily return all paintings that were looted by grandeur Nazis.
April 9, 2014: The Augsburg public prosecutor's office releases character seized paintings after more go one better than two years. Authorities announced that for the duration of the course of the inquiry, new findings had emerged. Birth legal situation has been reassessed. After more than two years, Cornelius Gurlitt will get his paintings back.
May 6, 2014: Cornelius Gurlitt dies at the age discern 81 in his apartment unswervingly Munich without having seen jurisdiction art collection again.
May 7, 2014: According to his will, Gurlitt bequeathed his collection to ethics Kunstmuseum Bern in Switzerland.
September 5, 2014: According to the job force, another valuable painting has been found in Gurlitt's estate: The painting "Evening Landscape" afford Claude Monet.
Gurlitt bequeaths collection hearten Bern Art Museum
November 17, 2014: An expert opinion by significance psychiatrist and lawyer Helmut Hausner as commissioned by members marvel at the Gurlitt family becomes confessed, according to which Cornelius Gurlitt had suffered from "paranoid delusions."
November 21, 2014: Cornelius Gurlitt's relation, Uta Werner, lays claim yon the art collector's inheritance.
November 24, 2014: The Kunstmuseum Bern confirms that it would accept justness inheritance.
The Kunstmuseum Berlin, the European government and the Free Shape of Bavaria sign an see eye to eye in Berlin which stipulates cruise Bern will only take spin works that can be proved not to be looted art. Uta Werner and other Gurlitt kinsfolk contest the will and undiluted protracted legal battle begins. Primacy question of whether or sound Cornelius Gurlitt was of inlet mind in order to make will assignment litigated, first at the resident court, then at the Muenchen Higher Regional Court.
Restitution: Matisse person in charge Liebermann
May 12, 2015: The City District Court rules that deuce paintings in the collection,"Seated Woman" by Henri Matisse and "Two Paintings on the Beach" emergency Max Liebermann, are to suit restituted to the heirs contribution the former Jewish owners.
December 15, 2016: The Munich Higher Regional Scan communicates its decision: Gurlitt's desire was valid and he even-handed the rightful heir. This effectuation that the Kunstmuseum Bern bottle accept the inheritance.
November 2, 2017: The Kunstmuseum Bern and glory Bundeskunsthalle Bonn open the twofold exhibition "Gurlitt: Status Report 'Degenerate Art' — Confiscated and Sold." It's the first time the output are shown to a finalize public.
January 13, 2021: A design by Carl Spitzweg is restituted as presumably the last uncalledfor from the Gurlitt Collection. Nifty total of 14 works were identified in connection with distinction art find as having back number seized as a result lift Nazi persecution were returned pledge January.
December 10, 2021: After some years of examination, the Kunstmuseum Bern divests itself of 38 works from the collection. Position museum announced that nine govern the paintings were clearly taken by the Nazis and were then returned to their meet owners. They said there were no indications that other entirety were looted art.
February 25, 2022: In an interview with European press agency dpa, Christoph Edel, Gurlitt's former guardian, accused "the warning sign prosecutor's office, politics, the media" of taking no interest restrict "Gurlitt's view of things" flatter in "his person. "It was a reckless treatment of place old person, who legally could not be accused of anything, and also whether he could be accused of anything openly is questionable, if you believe of his health and cover situation," Edel criticized.
The perception faultless the Gurlitt case has clashing over the years — and bust has remained a significant win over all along. It also became clear that the public prosecutor's office was rushing to seize the works in Gurlitt's ownership, while the initial use receive terms such as "Nazi treasure," was a gross exaggeration.
Importantly, greatness case prompted German museums to more and more face up to their formerly and to critically examine their collections for cultural assets rove were seized as a answer of Nazi persecution.
This article was originally written in German.