A new state law will require museums in New York to disclose any artwork in their collections that was stolen in Europe by Nazis.
The legislation, signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) last week, requires New York museums to display signs alongside works of art made before 1945 that are known to have been stolen or sold under Nazi duress. The law is aimed at honoring survivors of the Holocaust.
MONTHS OF DROUGHT EXPOSE SUNKEN WWII GERMAN WARSHIPS IN DANUBE
“As New Yorkers, we are united in our solemn commitment to Holocaust survivors: We will never forget,” Hochul said in a statement. “These are individuals who have endured unspeakable tragedy but nonetheless have persevered to build lives of meaning and purpose right here in New York. We owe it to them, their families, and the six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust to honor their memories and ensure future generations understand the horrors of this era.”
The legislation also requires Holocaust courses to be taught in schools and requires the New York State Department of Financial Services to publish a list of financial institutions that voluntarily waive fees for Holocaust reparation payments.
The Nazi regime is believed to have stolen at least 600,000 paintings, sculptures, and other artworks during World War II. As many as 110,000 works of art are still missing from the Nazi era. Many pieces are believed to be in museums and private collections across the United States that don’t acknowledge their origin.
Some of the plundered paintings are worth tens of millions of dollars, and museums have faced legal battles over ownership claims.
In 2019, a court ruled that the Metropolitan Museum of Art could keep a 1905 painting by Pablo Picasso that was sold by its Jewish owner as he and his family fled Nazi Germany in 1938.
The painting, The Actor, was gifted to the museum in 1952. It is estimated to be worth over $100 million.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Also in 2019, the Arkell Museum in New York said it willingly turned over a painting to the FBI that was stolen from a Jewish family by the Nazis in 1933. The museum said at the time that it was “waiving all right, title, and interest in the painting.”
“Today, artwork previously stolen by the Nazis can be found hanging in museums around New York with no recognition of the dark paths they traveled there,” state Democratic Sen. Anna Kaplan said of the importance of the new law. “With the history of the Holocaust being so important to pass on to the next generation, it’s vital that we be transparent and ensure that anyone viewing artwork stolen by the Nazis understand where it came from and its role in history.”
