Jewish heirs file lawsuits to reclaim Nazi-looted art from museums

Nazi-looted art Holocaust restitution Norton Simon Museum Auschwitz Museum California lawsuits

Jewish heirs and representatives have filed two separate lawsuits in California seeking the return of artworks looted by the Nazi regime during the Holocaust. These legal actions are the first to utilize recently passed legislation in California and by the U.S. Congress designed to strengthen claims for the recovery of art forcibly taken from Jewish families during World War II.

The first lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles and its board chair Daniel Gryczman, targets the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena. The suit seeks the return of ‘Adam and Eve,’ two life-size oil-on-panel paintings by Lucas Cranach the Elder created in 1530. The works were originally part of the collection of Dutch Jewish art dealer Jacques Goudstikker before being seized by the Nazi regime.

The second lawsuit was filed in federal court in Los Angeles by the daughters of Dinah Gottliebova Babbitt. Babbitt was a Holocaust survivor and animator who was imprisoned at Auschwitz and forced to paint watercolors of fellow prisoners for Nazi physician Josef Mengele. The plaintiffs are seeking the return of these watercolors, which are currently held by the Auschwitz-Birkenau museum in Poland.

Representatives for both the Norton Simon Museum and the Auschwitz museum stated they legally hold titles to the works and intend to continue their public display. The lawsuits do not specify a monetary value for the disputed pieces.

Entities

Auschwitz · Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum · Dinah Gottliebova Babbitt · Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles · Josef Mengele · Lucas Cranach the Elder · Norton Simon Museum

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 3 SOURCES] The lawsuit against the Norton Simon Museum seeks the return of ‘Adam and Eve,’ two life-size oil-on-panel masterpieces created by Lucas Carnach the Elder in 1530. srnnews.com · krmg.com · www.independent.co.uk
[● 9 SOURCES] Spokespersons for the involved museums state they legally hold titles to the artworks and intend to continue public displays. srnnews.com · krmg.com · www.independent.co.uk · www.digitalnewsreport.com · mymotherlode.com · +3 more
[● 11 SOURCES] Jewish heirs and representatives have filed two lawsuits in California to reclaim Nazi-looted paintings. srnnews.com · krmg.com · www.independent.co.uk · www.digitalnewsreport.com · mymotherlode.com · +5 more
[● 8 SOURCES] Between 1933 and 1945, the Nazi regime seized over 600,000 works of art from Jewish families, collectors, and museums across Europe. srnnews.com · krmg.com · www.independent.co.uk · mymotherlode.com · www.kob.com · +2 more
[● 9 SOURCES] The daughters of Holocaust survivor and animator Dinah Gottliebova Babbitt filed a lawsuit in federal court in Los Angeles. srnnews.com · krmg.com · www.independent.co.uk · www.digitalnewsreport.com · mymotherlode.com · +3 more
[● 3 SOURCES] The Babbitt lawsuit demands the return of watercolors of fellow prisoners that Dinah Gottliebova Babbitt was forced to paint for Nazi physician Josef Mengele. srnnews.com · krmg.com · www.independent.co.uk
[● 8 SOURCES] These lawsuits are the first following recent legislation passed by California and the U.S. Congress to strengthen claims to artwork taken from Jewish families during World War II. srnnews.com · krmg.com · www.independent.co.uk · mymotherlode.com · www.kob.com · +2 more
[● 9 SOURCES] The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles and board chair Daniel Gryczman filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against the Norton Simon Museum. srnnews.com · krmg.com · www.independent.co.uk · www.digitalnewsreport.com · mymotherlode.com · +3 more
[● 3 SOURCES] The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against the Norton Simon Museum for the return of the paintings ‘Adam and Eve.’ srnnews.com · krmg.com · www.independent.co.uk
[● 3 SOURCES] Spokespersons for the involved museums claim they legally hold titles to the artworks and intend to continue public displays. srnnews.com · krmg.com · www.independent.co.uk
[● 3 SOURCES] The lawsuits follow recent legislation passed by California and the U.S. Congress to strengthen claims to WWII-era looted artwork. srnnews.com · krmg.com · www.independent.co.uk
[● 3 SOURCES] Jewish heirs and representatives filed two lawsuits in California to reclaim Nazi-looted art. srnnews.com · krmg.com · www.independent.co.uk