Previously, only returned to heirs of the selected Nazis from 1938 to 1945. Decision of the city council to give a picture of the pre-war owner was forced to sell in 1934, had set a precedent

Recently, the authorities in Vienna have taken a very important decision that will no doubt affect the future of many public meetings. The city council told the Austrian capital Vienna Museum to return the picture Makarta Hans (Hans Makart) grandchildren Jewish banker, whose work was selected in 1934. Restitution for Austrian Museum - usual case, but gave only the descendants of earlier works which were in the hands of the Nazis in the period from 1938 to 1945.

Makarta painting, called «Death Pappenhayma», was acquired by the Vienna museum in 1968 from the art dealer from Denmark. Pre-war work was the owner Gutmann Herbert (Herbert Gutmann), son of the founder of Dresdner Bank Oygena Gutmann (Eugen Gutmann). In 1933, he was forced to leave the banking world and sold at auction impressive art collection and antiques. In 1936, Gutmann fled to the UK.

Up to this moment of the heirs to impoverished families could receive restitution only property selected by the Nazis after 1938 (ie, after the country was annexed by Germany), but that was stolen as soon as avstrofashisty came to power, not subject to restitution. Last year, the Government of Austria for the first time talking about that time frame restitution dispute can be back the. In such a case would be considered illegal, all the forced sales of Jewish property since 1933, when Chancellor Engelbert Dolfus (Engelbert Dollfuß) dissolved Parliament and announced the establishment of the country's new regime. With the return of grandchildren Gutmann picture Makarta established precedent - now the number of restorative dispute may well increase.

Heirs banker declared that they would seek restitution of other items from his collection.

Material prepared Yulia Maksimova

Source: artinfo.com , artinvestment.ru