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German government unveils details of 'Nazi art' German government unveils details of 'Nazi art'
(about 1 hour later)
Bowing to demands from Jewish groups and art experts, the German government made public details of paintings in a recovered trove of about 1,400 pieces of art, many of which may have been stolen by the Nazis, and said it would put together a task force to speed identification. Bowing to demands from Jewish groups and art experts, the German government has made public the details of paintings in a recovered trove of about 1,400 pieces of art, many of which may have been stolen by the Nazis, and said it would put together a taskforce to speed up identification.
In a written statement, the government said as many as 590 works of art could have been stolen by the Nazis. In a surprise move, it quickly featured some 25 of those works on the website lostart.de and said it would be regularly updated. In a written statement, the government said as many as 590 works of art could have been stolen by the Nazis. In a surprise move, it quickly featured some 25 of those works on the website lostart.de and said it would be regularly updated.
Officials had until now released few details about the art found in the Munich apartment of 80-year-old Cornelius Gurlitt, though it was known to include pieces by Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso. The discovery resulted from an ongoing tax investigation, adding to secrecy concerns. Until now, officials had released few details about the art found in the Munich apartment of 80-year-old Cornelius Gurlitt, though it was known to include pieces by Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso. The paintings were found during an ongoing tax investigation, adding to secrecy concerns.
Among the paintings listed on the site were Otto Dix's The Woman in the Theater Box, Otto Griebel's Child at the Table, and Max Liebermann's Rider on the Beach. Among the paintings listed on the site were Otto Dix's The Woman in the Theatre Box, Otto Griebel's Child at the Table, and Max Liebermann's Rider on the Beach.
Art was stolen or bought for a pittance from Jewish collectors who were forced to sell under duress during the Third Reich. For the heirs of those collectors, the discovery has raised hopes of recovering works, while the slow release of information has stirred frustration. Art was stolen or bought for a pittance from Jewish collectors who were forced to sell under duress during the Third Reich. For the heirs of those collectors, the discovery has raised hopes of recovering works, but the slow release of information has stirred frustration.
A spokesman for the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, said on Monday that the government understood the demands of Jewish groups that the pieces be quickly made public. A spokesman for the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, said on Monday that the government understood the demands of Jewish groups that the pieces be made public quickly.
"We can well understand that especially Jewish organisations are asking many questions. They represent older people who were treated very badly," said the spokesman, Steffen Seibert."We can well understand that especially Jewish organisations are asking many questions. They represent older people who were treated very badly," said the spokesman, Steffen Seibert.
A task force of six experts will be put together by the German government and the state government of Bavaria, with the support of a research group on "degenerate art" at the Free University of Berlin. A taskforce of six experts will be put together by the German government and the state government of Bavaria, with the support of a research group on "degenerate art" at the Free University of Berlin. Such art was largely modern or abstract work that Adolf Hitler's regime believed to be a corrupt influence on the German people. Many such works were later sold to enrich the Nazis. There were 380 works of art in this category, the government said.
Such art was largely modern or abstract works that Adolf Hitler's regime believed to be a corrupt influence on the German people. Many such works were later sold to enrich the Nazis. Three hundred and 80 works of art fall under this category, the government said. The taskforce would work in parallel with the continuing legal investigation by prosecutors in Augsburg, the government said.
The task force will work in parallel with the continuing legal investigation by prosecutors in Augsburg, the government said.
The prosecutor had only said there was evidence that one item – a Matisse painting of a sitting woman – was stolen by the Nazis from a French bank in 1942.The prosecutor had only said there was evidence that one item – a Matisse painting of a sitting woman – was stolen by the Nazis from a French bank in 1942.
Also on Monday, Stuttgart state police spokesman Horst Haug said that local police last week took 22 pieces of art from a home in Kornwestheim in southern Germany to a safe location "because parts of these paintings were associated with the Munich art discovery". Also on Monday, the Stuttgart state police spokesman Horst Haug said police last week took 22 pieces of art from a home in Kornwestheim, southern Germany, to a safe location "because parts of these paintings were associated with the Munich art discovery".
German media identified the owner of the paintings as Gurlitt's brother-in-law, who reportedly was worried about the safety of his art due to the recent media frenzy.German media identified the owner of the paintings as Gurlitt's brother-in-law, who reportedly was worried about the safety of his art due to the recent media frenzy.
The German foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, meanwhile, warned that Germany's reputation abroad would suffer if it did not take a more proactive approach to publicly identifying the artworks in the Munich trove. The foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, warned that Germany's reputation would suffer if it did not take a more proactive approach to publicly identifying the artworks in the Munich trove.
"We should not underestimate the sensitivity of this issue around the world," Westerwelle told German news agency DPA. "Transparency is at the highest importance now.""We should not underestimate the sensitivity of this issue around the world," Westerwelle told German news agency DPA. "Transparency is at the highest importance now."
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