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Lawsuits for Nazi-looted art restitution in California

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2026-09-19 12:03 UTC → 2026-09-20 13:17 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Legal efforts to reclaim Nazi-looted art have intensified in California following the implementation of new legislative protections, including a 2024 California law and the federal Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery (HEAR) Act of 2025. These laws aim to prevent the dismissal of restitution claims based on technicalities or the passage of time. Two specific lawsuits have emerged. One involves the daughters of Dina Gottliebova Babbitt, who are seeking the return of watercolors painted by their mother while she was imprisoned at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum under the orders of Josef Mengele. The second lawsuit, filed by the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, targets the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena to reclaim two 16th-century oil paintings titled ‘Adam and Eve’ by Lucas ~~Carnach~~ Cranach the Elder. The Federation notes these works were originally part of the collection of Dutch Jewish art dealer Jacques Goudstikker before being seized by the Nazi regime. While the heirs seek the return of these works, museum representatives have stated they maintain legal title to the pieces and intend to continue their public display. The lawsuits do not specify a monetary value for the disputed works.

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