Restitutions
– 1995, to the beneficiary heirs of Gustav Klemperer Edler von Klemenau (1852–1926) from the Ernst Schneider Foundation Meissen porcelain collection: a double gourd vase (inv. no. ES 75) that was ultimately transferred into the ownership of the Free State of Bavaria after a compensation payment;
– 2011, to the porcelain collection in the Zwinger in Dresden from the Ernst Schneider Foundation Meissen porcelain collection: three vases (inv. nos ES 663a‒b, ES 801, ES 1056a‒b = Dresdner Zwinger inv. no. PE 8257‒8259) that went missing while being transferred elsewhere for storage during the war and appeared on the art market via a route unknown to date;
– 2012, to the beneficiary heirs of August Liebmann Mayer (1885–1944): a bronze statuette of Mercury from the mid 17th century (inv. no. 37/68) that, after being seized by the Nazis in 1937, was sold at the ‘Aryanised’ auction house Hugo Helbing (1863‒1938) in Munich and purchased at auction by the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum;
– 2012, to the beneficiary heirs of Gustav Klemperer Edler von Klemenau (1852–1926) from the Ernst Schneider Foundation Meissen porcelain collection: a teapot and a small soup tureen (inv. nos L ES 324a‒b; L ES 1793a‒b) that, after their successful restitution, were purchased by the Friends of the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum;
– 2013, to the beneficiary heirs of the Drey family (A.S. Drey, art dealer, Munich): a Brussels tapestry (inv. no. 61/57), c. 1520, depicting allegorical scenes, probably commissioned by King Christian II of Denmark, Norway and Sweden (1481–1559) that was auctioned in 1936 at Paul Graupe, Berlin and entered the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum in 1961 as a ‘transfer of state-owned property’, having previously been in the ownership of Hermann Göring (1893‒1946);
– 2014, to the beneficiary heirs of Ernst (1881–1946) and Ida Agathe (1898–1951) Saulmann: six books (inv. nos Bibl. 11774 and 11796) that were bought at auction by the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum at the ‘Münchener Kunstversteigerungshaus Adolf Weinmüller’ after being seized by the Nazis in 1939. After their successful restitution these books were donated to the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum as a gift by the community of heirs;
– 2015, to the Vitzthum von Eckstädt family from the Ernst Schneider Foundation Meissen porcelain collection: a Meissen porcelain plate with butterfly décor from the Vitzthum dinner service (inv. no. ES 1218) that was taken from Schloss Schönwölkau near Leipzig in 1951 as part of a ‘salvage operation’ linked to the expropriation of the family of Carl Hermann Count Vitzthum von Eckstädt (1882‒1945). The restitution of this Meissen porcelain plate from the Vitzthum dinner service represents the first instance of a cultural asset verifiably seized by the East German state being returned to its rightful owner by the Free State of Bavaria.
Verification concluded
Restitution claim from the heirs of Ernst (1881–1946) and Ida Agathe (1898–1951) Saulmann for an object acquired by the BNM in 1936: farmhouse cupboard (inv. no. 36/30).
Restitution granted, as expropriation resulted from Nazi persecution. It has not, however, been possible to restitute the object to date as this cannot be verified by the BNM (possibly as a result of damage during the war). Six books from the same restitution claim were restituted by the BNM to the beneficiary heirs who then donated these as a gift to the BNM.
Restitution claim from the heirs of Jakob (1879‒1941) and Rosa (1877‒1943) Oppenheimer for three objects bought at auction in 1935 at Paul Graupe, Berlin (cat. no. 137, 25./26.01.1935; cat. no. 142, 26./27.04.1935), one of which (inv. no. 59/10) was acquired in 1959 as the property/impounded asset of Heinrich Hoffmann (1885‒1957) by the ‘Finanzmittelstelle’ in Munich for the restitution fond, and two (inv. nos 65/287–288) that entered the BNM as ‘transfers of state-owned property’ in 1965 as the property/impounded asset of Heinrich Hoffmann (1885‒1957): 1. Bronze sculpture: Group of wrestlers (inv. no. 59/10); 2. Bronze sculpture: Odysseus Draws the Bow (inv. no. 65/287); 3. Bronze sculpture: Milo of Croton (inv. no. 65/288).
After careful investigation of the case it was deemed that no valid claim exists for the restitution of the works or for compensatory payment under the terms of the Washington Principles and the Common Statement.
Restitution claim from the heirs of Adolph (1861‒1938) and Helene (1868‒1956) List for one object that was donated to the BNM in 1968 as a gift through the Ernst Schneider Foundation Meissen porcelain collection: a small Meissen porcelain mustard jug with lid (inv. no. ES 2382 a–b).
After careful investigation of the case it was deemed that no valid claim exists for the restitution of the work or for compensatory payment under the terms of the Washington Principles and the Common Statement.
Restitution claim from the heirs of Ottmar Strauss (1878‒1940) for one object that entered the BNM in 1965 as part of the ‘transfers of state-owned property’, formerly the property/impounded asset of Hermann Göring (1893‒1946): chasuble (inv. no. 65/135 = Lost Art-ID 452492).
Object in the BNM is not identical to the object sought.