Will Dispute Halts Research of Gurlitt Collection

The Swiss museum that accepted the bequest of a massive trove of hidden art from the late German collector Cornelius Gurlitt says efforts to research the works and process restitution cases are being delayed by a dispute over Gurlitt’s will. 

Shortly before the Kunstmuseum Bern accepted the collection last November, Gurlitt’s cousin Uta Werner applied for a certificate of inheritance to the Munich court overseeing Gurlitt’s estate.  The museum said that a court decision “could take some time” and for now it has no right of disposal over the legacy.  Thus, any research body meant to speed up investigation of the collection cannot begin work.

See The Associated Press, Swiss Museum: Research of Gurlitt Collection, Restitution Held Up By Dispute Over Will, Brandon Sun, Feb. 17, 2015.