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Cornelius Gurlitt

A German art collector who was discovered to possess 1,500 artworks believed to have been stolen by the Nazis from their rightful Jewish owners during World War II.

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Door name plate with Cornelius Gurlitt written on it

Nazi-looted art: A chronology of the Gurlitt case

A decade ago, authorities discovered 1,280 artworks in Cornelius Gurlitt's apartment; some had been looted by Nazis.
ArtsFebruary 28, 2022
Black-and-white photo of Henri Hinrichsen original owner of the work (l), and people looking at press reports about the Gurlitt Collection in a 2018 exhibition (r).

Gurlitt Collection: Last of Nazi-looted artworks auctioned

Among the 1,500 artworks found in the Gurlitt trove, 14 proved to be Nazi-loot. The last was just sold at auction.
ArtsNovember 24, 2021
US soldier in 1945 looks at a table full of objects, holds a sculpture.

Nazi-looted art: Germany struggles with restitution

Does Germany need a restitution law for Nazi-looted art?
CultureJune 21, 2021
A painting by German artist Otto Dix being moved ahead of an exhibition of works from the Gurlitt trove

Germany returns Nazi-looted art from Gurlitt trove

Germany says it has now returned 14 artworks — from a collection stolen from Jewish owners — to their rightful heirs.
ArtsJanuary 13, 2021
Max Beckmann: Zandvoort Beach Cafe.

Gurlitt Collection: Germany's most infamous Nazi-looted art trove

So far, only 14 works were proven to have been looted under the Nazis among the some 1,500 found in Gurlitt's hoard.
ArtsJanuary 13, 202111 images
Gurlitt-Sammlung | "Waterloo Bridge"

Gurlitt trove: Research on Nazi-looted art ends

Only 14 out of the 1,500 works found in Cornelius Gurlitt's possession have been formally identified as Nazi-looted art.
ArtsMay 28, 2020
painting frames

Restitution of Nazi-looted art a 'permanent task'

The process of returning artworks stolen by Nazis is destined to drag on for years to come.
CultureJanuary 22, 2020
Studie nach einem Baumstamm»

Watercolor stolen by Nazis returned to museum

An early 20th-century work by German expressionist Christian Rohlfs is headed back to Halle's Kunstmuseum Moritzburg.
ArtsDecember 4, 2019
Exhibition: Fateful Choices, Art from the Gurlitt Trove in Jerusalem

'Origin unknown': the Gurlitt Exhibition in Jerusalem

The Israel Museum in Jerusalem is finally displaying works from the Gurlitt art trove that were once 'Nazi treasure.'
CultureSeptember 26, 2019
German Culture Minister Monika Grütters with the heirs of Jewish politician Georges Mandel in front of the painting 'Portrait de jeune femme assise' (Portrait of a Seated Young Woman) by Thomas Couture

Germany returns Nazi-looted painting

The canvas was stolen from French politician Georges Mandel during World War II.
CultureJanuary 8, 2019
A woman walks past a Swastika during a media preview of the "Gurlitt: Status Report - Nazi Art Theft and its Consequences"

Nazi-looted art: 4 further Gurlitt works IDed

The drawings, looted from a Jewish family during World War II, will be returned to descendants of the original owners.
CultureSeptember 10, 2018
Philippe Cezanne with the painting

Nazi-looted painting to be shared between museums

"La Montagne Sainte-Victoire" was found in the trove of notorious "art hermit" Cornelius Gurlitt in 2014.
ArtsJuly 3, 2018
Max Beckmann -Zandvoort Strandcafé

Gurlitt find: Exhibitions in Bern and Bonn

With "degenerate art" shown in Bern, the Bonn exhibition includes Nazi-looted artworks.
ArtsNovember 2, 2017
August Macke "Landschaft mit Segelbooten" (Foto: Bundeskunsthalle)

Gurlitt collection shown in Bern

Bern Art Museum is revealing works found in the Gurlitt collection in Munich. Here are a few.
ArtsNovember 2, 20176 images
München Ausstellung Entartete Kunst

How Hitler and the Nazis defamed art

Hitler categorized works of art according to his personal taste. Works he hated were branded "degenerate art."
ArtsNovember 2, 201710 images
Porträt einer jungen Frau des Künstlers Thomas Couture

Sixth 'Gurlitt' trove work identified

Germany has identified a sixth Nazi-looted artwork as belonging to the late French cabinet minister Georges Mandel.
PoliticsOctober 25, 2017
Deutschland Gurlitt Rückgabe des Gemälde In einem Sessel sitzende Frau von Matisse

'Degenerate Art' shipment to Switzerland delayed

A media preview of works from Cornelius Gurlitt's controversial art trove was postponed due to a shipment delay.
CultureJune 30, 2017
Sculpture by Auguste Rodin

Nazi-looted art to go on show in Bonn

A preview of the "Schwabinger Kunstfund" that will be on display in Bonn's Bundeskunsthalle in November.
CultureJune 27, 2017
Entartete Kunst - Der Fall Cornelius Gurlitt

Gurlitt's collection to go to Swiss museum

A regional appeals court in Munich ruled that Cornelius Gurlitt's collection can be moved to a museum in Switzerland.
ArtsDecember 15, 2016
Dr. Hildebrand Gurlitt Direktor des Kunstvereins für die Rheinlande und Westfalen

New developments in the Gurlitt case

Mailbags containing letters and photos belonging to Nazi art-dealer Hildebrand Gurlitt have been discovered in Güstrow.
SocietyOctober 17, 2016
Grab von Hildebrand Gurlitt +++(c) dpa - Bildfunk+++

Hitler's art dealer

Hildebrand Gurlitt was part Jewish and loved the Modern art the Nazis banned - but still became Hitler's art dealer.
March 15, 2016

German task force finds five Nazi-looted works in art trove

As they released their final report, the task force in charge of a Nazi-era art stash claimed they needed more time.
January 14, 2016
Max Liebermann's "Two Riders on the Beach"

How Germany has dealt with Nazi-looted art after Gurlitt

Why did provenience researchers only resolve five Gurlitt artworks before wrapping up their mandate?
January 14, 2016
Türschild Cornelius Gurlitt in Salzburg

Task force investigating Gurlitt collection criticized

What has the task force in charge of investigating a collection owned by a Nazi art dealer achieved - and what's next?
November 26, 2015
Grave from Hildebrand Gurlitt, Copyright: Martin Gerten/dpa

Nazi-looted art trove mysteries far from solved

The mandate of the Gurlitt task force ends this year, but its work is far from over.
October 16, 2015
Artworks once owned by Gurlitt

Germany hopes to exhibit works from Gurlitt collection

Germany's culture minister has announced plans to exhibit some potentially stolen artworks from the Gurlitt collection.
October 10, 2015
"Two Riders on the Beach" by Max Liebermann

Nazi-looted painting

Max Liebermann's famous "Two Riders on a Beach" has been auctioned by Sotheby's for over $2.9 million.
June 25, 2015
Max Liebermann's painting "Two Riders on the Beach"

Nazi-looted art under the hammer

Liebermann's "Two Riders" is up for auction at Sotheby's. Will it sell - and should it?
June 24, 2015
Zwei Reiter am Strand aus dem Schwabinger Kunstfund (vermutlich bis 1939 Sammlung David Friedmann, Breslau)

Recovered Liebermann painting to be auctioned

A painting recovered from the collection of Hitler's art dealer is to be sold at auction in London next month.
May 23, 2015
Deutschland Gurlitt Rückgabe des Gemälde "Woman Sitting in an Armchair" by Henri Matisse

First piece of Gurlitt trove returned

A Matisse painting from a hidden stash of Nazi-looted artworks has been returned to Jewish owners.
May 15, 2015
Berlin celebrates the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Wall with ballons

Year in Culture

The issue of looted art dominated cultural news throughout the year.
December 26, 2014
Sign on a door reading 'Cornelius Gurlitt', Copyright: picture-alliance/dpa

Gurlitt art in Bern

Bern's art museum has accepted the controversial Gurlitt collection, but what happens now?
November 28, 2014
Augsburg Pressekonferenz zum Münchener Kunst-Schatz

Thorough investigation needed

The President of the World Jewish Congress Ronald Lauder first criticized the decision by a Swiss museum to accept a recently found trove of artworks stolen by the Nazis. He tells DW why he now welcomes the decision.
November 27, 2014
A painting by German artist Max Liebermann 'Zwei Reiter am Strande' ("Two Horsemen at the Beach") is beamed to a wall November 5, 2013, at an Augsburg courtroom during a news conference of state prosecutor Reinhard Nemetz and expert art historian Meike Hoffmann from the Berlin Free University. REUTERS/Michael Dalder

Swiss museum accepts Gurlitt art bequest

A Swiss museum has accepted the bequest of a large trove of artworks belonging to reclusive German collector Cornelius Gurlitt. The inheritance comes with many strings attached.
November 24, 2014
Symbolbild Testament

Gurlitt: An art world thriller

A year after Gurlitt's art trove was discovered, new chapters are being written in the thriller.
CultureNovember 24, 201414 images
A combination of two formerly unknown paintings by German artist Otto Dix are beamed to a wall November 5, 2013, in an Augsburg courtroom during a news conference held by state prosecutor Reinhard Nemetz and expert art historian Meike Hoffmann from the Berlin Free University, Copyright: Reuters

Nazi-looted art

Germany needs to own up to its Nazi history, says Anne Webber from the Commission for Looted Art.
November 24, 2014
A painting from Gurlitt's collection

Overlooked heirs

The fight for Cornelius Gurlitt's infamous Nazi-era art trove has escalated.
November 24, 2014
Symbolbild Nazi-Raubkunst

Return of 'degenerate art?'

Should art works looted by the Nazis in 1937 be returned to the German museums they were taken from?
November 20, 2014
Dr. Helmut Hausner, Copyright: www.medbo.de (Medizinische Einrichtungen des Bezirks Oberpfalz)

Gurlitt's will

Gurlitt suffered from delusional paranoia, a medical examinor tells DW. That invalidates his will.
November 18, 2014
Name sign on a door reading 'Cornelius Gurlitt', Copyright: picture-alliance/dpa

Gurlitt's art

Gurlitt suffered from paranoia and wasn't in his right mind when he wrote his will, says new report.
November 18, 2014
David Toren

David Toren: 'Why wait so long?'

The New York attorney is seeking the return of a painting from the Gurlitt collection.
November 10, 2014
An art expert holds a list of works' values

Gurlitt art find

One year after the sensational discovery of Cornelius Gurlitt's art trove, many questions remain.
October 24, 2014
Screenshot Lost Art Internet Database

Pooling resources to find art

Germany's Cabinet has approved a center to fortify the hunt for art looted by the Nazis. The culture minister says Germany has a responsibility to find works stolen from across Europe during the 1930s and 1940s.
October 8, 2014
Meissen china, Copyright: Arno Burgi/dpa)

The other stolen art

Not only the Nazis, but also the socialists dispossessed artworks. Many are only now resurfacing.
July 30, 2014
American soldiers holding paintings in Germany in 1945, Copyright: Horace Abrahams/Keystone/Getty Images

Nazi looted art

Recently discovered files from a Nazi-era auction shed light on the extent of art looting.
June 4, 2014
Dr. Walter Schön, Copyright: Heike Mund/DW

Gurlitt art case

Cornelius Gurlitt's estate prompts many questions and lawyer Walter Schön has some of the answers.
May 8, 2014
Claude Monet Waterloo Bridge

Gurlitt art left to Swiss museum

A Swiss museum claims to have inherited the collection owned by a German man whose hoard included work stolen by the Nazis. The Bern museum called the bequest a complete surprise that brought with it a burden.
May 7, 2014
Deutschland Cornelius Gurlitt in München Schwabing S/W

Gurlitt's legacy

The death of Cornelius Gurlitt does nothing to end the controversy around his art collection.
CultureMay 7, 2014
"Sitzende Frau" von Henri Matisse aus der Gurlitt-Sammlung

Art collector Gurlitt dies

The German art collector prominent during a probe into whether an art trove contains works looted during the Nazi era has died. His spokesman said Cornelius Gurlitt died in his Munich apartment after a heart operation.
May 6, 2014
Théodore Rousseau Vue de la vallée de la Seine

Gurlitt has died: Works from his infamous collection

Lost art
May 6, 201410 images