ART CRIME SCENE Vienna Leopold Museum

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Crime Scene Leopold Museum: Jewish Community Vienna calls attention to Austrian predicament of looted art on the Pogrom Nights 70th anniversary
On Nov 9, 2008, the Jewish Community Vienna (IKG) hosted a political campaign outside the Leopold Museum to draw the attention to the private foundation of the same name and its dealing with the predicament of looted art. Barrier tapes labeled ART CRIME SCENE obstructed the access to the Museum for a short time. Posters displaying the artworks in question and simulating official wanted placards with mug shots, requested the support of the restitution.

Since the resolution of the art restitution law in 1998, the IKG strives for the rightful owners regaining their artworks from the Leopold Collection. Paintings from artists such as Schiele, Klimt or Egger-Lienz were looted during the Nazi regime and later on acquired by the Republic of Austria with public funds for the private foundation. Collector Rudolf Leopold argues that the regulations of the art restitution law can only apply to Federal Museums and Collections but not to private foundations. Legal experts consulted by the IKG, however, disagree with this.

video: mg-media filmproduktion

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• looted
• art
• leopold
• museum
• vienna
• jewish
• community
• egon
• schiele
• muzicant
• NS
• regime