Gurlitt Bequest Upheld By German Court

A Munich court has struck down a legal challenge by a cousin of Cornelius Gurlitt who claimed that she should inherit works from his vast art collection.  I have previously discussed that Mr. Gurlitt had bequeathed the works to the Kunstmuseum Bern in Switzerland, and the court ruled that they rightfully belong there. 

In a statement released on Thursday, the Munich court stated, “The decision finds Cornelius Gurlit’s will, in which he names the Kunstmuseum Bern as sole heir, valid.  The decision dismisses the claim made by his cousin that the testator Cornelius Gurlitt was incapable of making a will at the time of signing.” 

Mr. Gurlitt’s cousin, Uta Werner, has one month to decide whether to appeal to a higher court.  A spokesman for Ms. Werner shad that her lawyers would “closely review the reasons for the decision, after which Ms. Werner will decide how to proceed.”

See Christopher D. Shea, German Court Upholds Bequest of Gurlitt Collection to the Kunstmuseum Bern, The New York Times, March 27, 2015.