MP Says It's 'Not surprising' That German State Might Have Hidden Nazi-Looted Art
German regional MP Martin Dolzer has criticized Bavaria for its purported concealment of art looted by the Nazis.
TroibNews 
The Bavarian authorities have reportedly concealed the questionable origin of over 200 artworks.
A regional lawmaker in Germany has expressed that he is “not surprised” by allegations suggesting the state of Bavaria may have hidden Nazi-looted art from their rightful heirs, blaming the German government for a persistent history of denying compensation for past injustices.
In an interview with RTN on Friday, Martin Dolzer, an independent MP from the Hamburg parliament, commented on a report published by the Suddeutsche Zeitung last month. This report claimed that the Bavarian State Painting Collections hold at least 200 artworks with dubious provenance.
The art pieces, which include works by Paul Klee and Pablo Picasso, were marked as “red,” indicating that they were confiscated by the Nazis in the 1930s and 40s from Jewish individuals and other victims of persecution. The report noted that this information was withheld from the public, hindering potential restitution efforts.
“Unfortunately, I’m not very surprised by that. And I think it’s a fact. The German government and the federal state governments always denied they have the common practice if it comes to money. Whenever it comes to compensation payments, the German authorities refused to make these payments,” Dolzer stated.
In response to this situation, Dolzer compared Bavaria’s alleged cover-up to Germany's reluctance to pay the full reparations that Greece claims for various WWII atrocities and the exploitation of its resources.
While acknowledging the potential challenges in locating the heirs of the original artwork owners, he remarked that the Suddeutsche Zeitung report clarifies many issues. “So I think it’s a kind of attempt at greenwashing by the Bavarian government,” he added.
Despite the Bavarian authorities refuting the allegations, asserting that the leaked document was merely a “pure working tool” depicting a “work-in-progress status” subject to frequent updates, Dolzer dismissed this explanation as “excuses.”
In response to the reports, German Culture Minister Claudia Roth cautioned that if the accusations hold any truth, Bavaria’s conduct would constitute “a scandal,” indicating that the revelations might reflect “a lack of transparency” and “possibly deliberate concealment.”
Between 1933 and 1945, the Nazi regime systematically plundered art across Germany and occupied European territories, seizing hundreds of thousands of pieces from museums, galleries, and private collections. Jewish art owners suffered greatly, as the Nazis often forced them to sell their cherished works or confiscated them outright, leading many of these pieces to end up with high-ranking Nazi officials.
Mathilde Moreau contributed to this report for TROIB News
A regional lawmaker in Germany has expressed that he is “not surprised” by allegations suggesting the state of Bavaria may have hidden Nazi-looted art from their rightful heirs, blaming the German government for a persistent history of denying compensation for past injustices.
In an interview with RTN on Friday, Martin Dolzer, an independent MP from the Hamburg parliament, commented on a report published by the Suddeutsche Zeitung last month. This report claimed that the Bavarian State Painting Collections hold at least 200 artworks with dubious provenance.
The art pieces, which include works by Paul Klee and Pablo Picasso, were marked as “red,” indicating that they were confiscated by the Nazis in the 1930s and 40s from Jewish individuals and other victims of persecution. The report noted that this information was withheld from the public, hindering potential restitution efforts.
“Unfortunately, I’m not very surprised by that. And I think it’s a fact. The German government and the federal state governments always denied they have the common practice if it comes to money. Whenever it comes to compensation payments, the German authorities refused to make these payments,” Dolzer stated.
In response to this situation, Dolzer compared Bavaria’s alleged cover-up to Germany's reluctance to pay the full reparations that Greece claims for various WWII atrocities and the exploitation of its resources.
While acknowledging the potential challenges in locating the heirs of the original artwork owners, he remarked that the Suddeutsche Zeitung report clarifies many issues. “So I think it’s a kind of attempt at greenwashing by the Bavarian government,” he added.
Despite the Bavarian authorities refuting the allegations, asserting that the leaked document was merely a “pure working tool” depicting a “work-in-progress status” subject to frequent updates, Dolzer dismissed this explanation as “excuses.”
In response to the reports, German Culture Minister Claudia Roth cautioned that if the accusations hold any truth, Bavaria’s conduct would constitute “a scandal,” indicating that the revelations might reflect “a lack of transparency” and “possibly deliberate concealment.”
Between 1933 and 1945, the Nazi regime systematically plundered art across Germany and occupied European territories, seizing hundreds of thousands of pieces from museums, galleries, and private collections. Jewish art owners suffered greatly, as the Nazis often forced them to sell their cherished works or confiscated them outright, leading many of these pieces to end up with high-ranking Nazi officials.
Mathilde Moreau contributed to this report for TROIB News
