Supreme Court to Hear Case of Ownership of Painting Stolen by Nazis Now Worth Millions

Contact Your Elected Officials

The Supreme Court has decided to hear an appeal about ownership of a valuable painting that was seized by the Nazis from a German Jewish family during the Holocaust and is now on display in an art museum in Madrid.

The case is Cassirer v. Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection Foundation, court file 20-1566. The foundation is an agency of the Kingdom of Spain. The petitioners are: David Cassirer, a descendant of the original painting owner, Lilly Cassirer; an estate; and the Jewish Federation of San Diego County.

“This is a miscarriage of justice that has been going on for way too long,” Steve Zack, an attorney for the petitioners told the San Francisco Chronicle. “It goes back to the Ten Commandments. … A person who has an item stolen from them, they are entitled to get it back when the people who are holding it know that they shouldn’t have possession.”

The Supreme Court agreed on Sept. 30 to consider the petition for certiorari, or review, which was filed with the court on May 6. In an Aug. 17, 2020, ruling, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled unanimously against the petitioners, who now argue that that court misapplied the applicable law.

The Impressionist painting by Camille Pissarro, who died in 1903, called “Rue St.-Honore, Apres-Midi, Effet de Pluie” (English: “Rue Saint-Honoré, Afternoon, Rain Effect”), depicts a Paris street.

The Nazi regime required Fritz and Lilly Cassirer to swap the painting in exchange for exit visas and roughly $360, far short of the real value of the work. The Cassirers complied and escaped with their lives. Lilly Cassirer was never able to receive the payment from the Nazis because the account was blocked, and she spent years trying to locate the missing painting before she died in 1962. Before that, in 1958, she accepted $13,000 in reparations from the German government.

But two decades ago, a friend of one of her descendants spotted the painting, now worth in the tens of millions of dollars, on display in a Spanish museum, NPR summarizes.

“It is undisputed that the Nazis stole the Painting from Lilly in 1939, and the record shows that it was smuggled out of Germany into California after World War II in violation of U.S. Military law, and traded privately in the United States between 1951 and 1976,” according to the petition.

Even though the U.S. Court of Restitution Appeals—a court established by the U.S. government in occupied Germany—previously determined Mrs. Cassirer to be the rightful owner of the painting, it was assumed at the time to have been lost or destroyed in the war.

By Matthew Vadum

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

The Thinking Conservative
The Thinking Conservativehttps://www.thethinkingconservative.com/
The goal of THE THINKING CONSERVATIVE is to help us educate ourselves on conservative topics of importance to our freedom and our pursuit of happiness. We do this by sharing conservative opinions on all kinds of subjects, from all types of people, and all kinds of media, in a way that will challenge our perceptions and help us to make educated choices.

The Choices We Make

Death and disagreement are inevitable. Love and hate are choices. We will all die. Before we do, what choices will we make?

Elon Musk Speaks at Unite the Kingdom Rally

Tommy Robinson held rally, with Elon Musk appearing virtually, calling attention to leftist politicians who allow foreign immigrants to invade England.

Doxed Democrats Are Getting Fired Left and Left

Not a misprint because a title of “left and...

Hold Up, Feds, Without Federalism, There Is No USA

Federalism is essential to governing the U.S., yet the federal government is undermining it by bribing states to implement unnecessary federal programs.

A Widow Inspires The World

Erika Kirk moved the nation with her speech two days after her husband’s assassination, vowing to continue his mission and grow Turning Point USA.

Parents Sue Character.AI for Allegedly Leading Kids to Sexual Abuse, Suicidal Behavior

Parents allege in three lawsuits that Character.AI’s chatbots sexually abused their children and drove them toward suicidal thoughts and behavior.

Tyler Robinson Makes First Appearance in Court, Faces Capital Murder Charge in Charlie Kirk Assassination

Tyler Robinson remained motionless throughout his first court appearance on capital murder and other charges after the shooting death of Charlie Kirk.

Trump to Appeal Ruling Allowing Fed Governor Lisa Cook to Keep Her Job

The Trump admin will appeal a three-judge panel’s ruling that prevents the president from firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook.

Charlie Kirk’s Alleged Murderer Confessed Shortly After Shooting, Messages Show

The man accused of murdering conservative influencer Charlie Kirk confessed to the killing in text messages, authorities said on Sept. 16.

Rubio Says US Visa Revocations Underway After Charlie Kirk Death Celebrations

SoS Marco Rubio said foreign nationals who made celebratory comments over Charlie Kirk’s assassination will have their U.S. visas revoked.

Trump Supports Designating Antifa a Terrorist Organization

President Trump said he would support designating the antifa movement a terrorist organization in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination last week.

US Conducts Strike on Another Drug Boat From Venezuela: Trump

Three people were killed in a U.S. strike on a Venezuelan drug boat, President Donald Trump announced on Sept. 15.

Trump Signs Memo Targeting Direct-to-Consumer Pharmaceutical Advertising

President Trump signed a memo to ensure drug ads give fair, balanced, and complete information to protect and inform American consumers.
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Categories

MAGA Business Central