New York Attorney Sues for Nazi-Looted Painting

As I have previously discussed, a German task force has been sifting through the art collection of the late Cornelius Gurlitt to determine which pieces are the result of Nazi looting. One painting has been determined to have been looted from David Friedmann, and his great-nephew, David Toren, wants it back. Toren, a 89-year-old New York attorney, brought suit against Germany and Bavaria under an exception in the Foreign Sovereign Immunity Act in May. According to Toren, the process is moving very slowly and will likely take years to resolve.

Toren says even though he hasn’t seen the painting since 1938 prior to fleeing Germany, the painting means a lot to him as a reminder of his family.  The Bern Art Museum, which was named the beneficiary of the art in Gurlitt’s will, has not yet decided whether to except the collection. Toren has been informed by the museum that if the painting is accepted it will be returned, but then it must be decided if Toren or one of three other heirs will receive it.

See Susanne Lenz-Gleissner, David Toren: ‘Why Wait So Long?’, DW, Nov. 10, 2014.