in a museum filled with treasures a masterpiece stands out a prized work by
masterpiece stands out a prized work by
masterpiece stands out a prized work by the French impressionist Camille
the French impressionist Camille
the French impressionist Camille Pissarro a rainy afternoon in Paris
Pissarro a rainy afternoon in Paris
Pissarro a rainy afternoon in Paris years ago it hung in a family living
years ago it hung in a family living
years ago it hung in a family living room until the Nazis sent an envoy and
room until the Nazis sent an envoy and
room until the Nazis sent an envoy and removed it it’s my painting there’s no
removed it it’s my painting there’s no
removed it it’s my painting there’s no question about it
question about it
question about it Claude kassir was born in 1921 into a
Claude kassir was born in 1921 into a
Claude kassir was born in 1921 into a prominent Jewish family in Germany the
prominent Jewish family in Germany the
prominent Jewish family in Germany the painting once belonged to his
painting once belonged to his
painting once belonged to his grandmother my mother had died and my
grandmother my mother had died and my
grandmother my mother had died and my grandmother was like a substitute mother
grandmother was like a substitute mother
grandmother was like a substitute mother for me and she lived in an apartment on
for me and she lived in an apartment on
for me and she lived in an apartment on the corner from where we were living him
the corner from where we were living him
the corner from where we were living him in above the couch was this painting
in above the couch was this painting
in above the couch was this painting this Pissarro painting and that is part
this Pissarro painting and that is part
this Pissarro painting and that is part of my life that’s how I was brought up
of my life that’s how I was brought up
of my life that’s how I was brought up the cáceres lived a life of privilege
the cáceres lived a life of privilege
the cáceres lived a life of privilege until the Nazis came to power and
until the Nazis came to power and
until the Nazis came to power and persecution of Jews in Germany
persecution of Jews in Germany
persecution of Jews in Germany intensified fearing for their safety
intensified fearing for their safety
intensified fearing for their safety Claude’s grandmother and her husband
Claude’s grandmother and her husband
Claude’s grandmother and her husband Otto noid Bauer petitioned the German
Otto noid Bauer petitioned the German
Otto noid Bauer petitioned the German government for an exit visa in response
government for an exit visa in response
government for an exit visa in response the Nazis sent an appraiser to evaluate
the Nazis sent an appraiser to evaluate
the Nazis sent an appraiser to evaluate their property he came to my
their property he came to my
their property he came to my grandmother’s apartment in Munich and he
grandmother’s apartment in Munich and he
grandmother’s apartment in Munich and he said my grandparents could leave Germany
said my grandparents could leave Germany
said my grandparents could leave Germany but they would not allow to take the
but they would not allow to take the
but they would not allow to take the Pissarro painting with him they made it
Pissarro painting with him they made it
Pissarro painting with him they made it very very clear you mean this was a lot
very very clear you mean this was a lot
very very clear you mean this was a lot not a matter of choice that if my
not a matter of choice that if my
not a matter of choice that if my grandparents wouldn’t agree to this
grandparents wouldn’t agree to this
grandparents wouldn’t agree to this transaction he would end up in daha one
transaction he would end up in daha one
transaction he would end up in daha one of the worst concentration camps near
of the worst concentration camps near
of the worst concentration camps near Munich when World War two ended the
Munich when World War two ended the
Munich when World War two ended the grotesque realities of Nazi war crimes
grotesque realities of Nazi war crimes
grotesque realities of Nazi war crimes were exposed
were exposed
were exposed and proof of systematic plunder and
and proof of systematic plunder and
and proof of systematic plunder and cultural artifacts was revealed hundreds
cultural artifacts was revealed hundreds
cultural artifacts was revealed hundreds of thousands of paintings sculptures and
of thousands of paintings sculptures and
of thousands of paintings sculptures and jewels had been taken from churches
jewels had been taken from churches
jewels had been taken from churches museums and private homes across the
museums and private homes across the
museums and private homes across the continent
continent
continent Claude kassir and his grandmother both
Claude kassir and his grandmother both
Claude kassir and his grandmother both escaped but their family heirloom remain
escaped but their family heirloom remain
escaped but their family heirloom remain missing until more than 60 years later
missing until more than 60 years later
missing until more than 60 years later Claude saw a photo of the painting
Claude saw a photo of the painting
Claude saw a photo of the painting hanging in a museum in Spain I could
hanging in a museum in Spain I could
hanging in a museum in Spain I could hardly believe it I could hardly believe
hardly believe it I could hardly believe
hardly believe it I could hardly believe it there was such a coincidence in such
it there was such a coincidence in such
it there was such a coincidence in such America the painting had changed hands
America the painting had changed hands
America the painting had changed hands at least five times in three countries
at least five times in three countries
at least five times in three countries over a 50-year period before it was
over a 50-year period before it was
over a 50-year period before it was purchased by one of the world’s
purchased by one of the world’s
purchased by one of the world’s wealthiest art collectors Baron Heinrich
wealthiest art collectors Baron Heinrich
wealthiest art collectors Baron Heinrich von thyssen-bornemisza in 1993 the Baron
von thyssen-bornemisza in 1993 the Baron
von thyssen-bornemisza in 1993 the Baron sold his collection in a joint
sold his collection in a joint
sold his collection in a joint arrangement with the kingdom of Spain
arrangement with the kingdom of Spain
arrangement with the kingdom of Spain and a foundation museum that now bears
and a foundation museum that now bears
and a foundation museum that now bears his name for Claude Kassir
his name for Claude Kassir
his name for Claude Kassir seeing the painting that day was a
seeing the painting that day was a
seeing the painting that day was a glimpse into a boyhood long past where
glimpse into a boyhood long past where
glimpse into a boyhood long past where the painting was my grandmother’s love
the painting was my grandmother’s love
the painting was my grandmother’s love how she sported me how she fed me how
how she sported me how she fed me how
how she sported me how she fed me how she went on excursions with me how she
she went on excursions with me how she
she went on excursions with me how she helped educate me all these interrelated
helped educate me all these interrelated
helped educate me all these interrelated kassir petitioned the museum to return
kassir petitioned the museum to return
kassir petitioned the museum to return the painting and when that didn’t work
the painting and when that didn’t work
the painting and when that didn’t work he decided to sue the museum and its
he decided to sue the museum and its
he decided to sue the museum and its host country the kingdom of Spain for
host country the kingdom of Spain for
host country the kingdom of Spain for the return of what he believes is stolen
the return of what he believes is stolen
the return of what he believes is stolen property representatives of the Spanish
property representatives of the Spanish
property representatives of the Spanish government and officials at the
government and officials at the
government and officials at the thyssen-bornemisza museum declined
thyssen-bornemisza museum declined
thyssen-bornemisza museum declined interview requests for this story in a
interview requests for this story in a
interview requests for this story in a written statement the museum asserts
written statement the museum asserts
written statement the museum asserts that it’s the legitimate owner of the
that it’s the legitimate owner of the
that it’s the legitimate owner of the work and that
work and that
work and that mr. casseras request has no legal
mr. casseras request has no legal
mr. casseras request has no legal foundation under Spanish law further the
foundation under Spanish law further the
foundation under Spanish law further the museum contends that the casera family
museum contends that the casera family
museum contends that the casera family was duly compensated for their loss by
was duly compensated for their loss by
was duly compensated for their loss by the German government in 1958 Claude
the German government in 1958 Claude
the German government in 1958 Claude accepts that his family received $13,000
accepts that his family received $13,000
accepts that his family received $13,000 but even that he had to split with
but even that he had to split with
but even that he had to split with another claimant for some crazy reason
another claimant for some crazy reason
another claimant for some crazy reason which I never understood we had to give
which I never understood we had to give
which I never understood we had to give part of the money to the guy who stole
part of the money to the guy who stole
part of the money to the guy who stole the painting why I don’t understand it
the painting why I don’t understand it
the painting why I don’t understand it today the paintings value is estimated
today the paintings value is estimated
today the paintings value is estimated at 20 million dollars but Claude insists
at 20 million dollars but Claude insists
at 20 million dollars but Claude insists there’s much more to this case than
there’s much more to this case than
there’s much more to this case than money I would be a fool to say that
money I would be a fool to say that
money I would be a fool to say that money is of no concern but why should
money is of no concern but why should
money is of no concern but why should they have something this for a 5 or 10
they have something this for a 5 or 10
they have something this for a 5 or 10 or 15 20 40 50 or 60 million when it
or 15 20 40 50 or 60 million when it
or 15 20 40 50 or 60 million when it doesn’t belong to them and it’s a simple
doesn’t belong to them and it’s a simple
doesn’t belong to them and it’s a simple event any legal experts expect kassir
event any legal experts expect kassir
event any legal experts expect kassir will face considerable challenges in
will face considerable challenges in
will face considerable challenges in court generally the more an object
court generally the more an object
court generally the more an object changes hands the more difficult the
changes hands the more difficult the
changes hands the more difficult the case would be you can keep stolen goods
case would be you can keep stolen goods
case would be you can keep stolen goods the defendant museum puts the plaintiffs
the defendant museum puts the plaintiffs
the defendant museum puts the plaintiffs or the prove prove to me that you own
or the prove prove to me that you own
or the prove prove to me that you own the object proved to me that of the
the object proved to me that of the
the object proved to me that of the stolen case has been tied up on
stolen case has been tied up on
stolen case has been tied up on jurisdictional issues that means prove
jurisdictional issues that means prove
jurisdictional issues that means prove that you have the right to call me from
that you have the right to call me from
that you have the right to call me from Spain into court in the United States
Spain into court in the United States
Spain into court in the United States that that’s just and fair and equitable
that that’s just and fair and equitable
that that’s just and fair and equitable you know what I would say to them if
you know what I would say to them if
you know what I would say to them if there’s any question of in there minding
there’s any question of in there minding
there’s any question of in there minding illegally there should be no question in
illegally there should be no question in
illegally there should be no question in their mind morally the point at which
their mind morally the point at which
their mind morally the point at which law ends and morality begins is often
law ends and morality begins is often
law ends and morality begins is often very hard to find the museum has to make
very hard to find the museum has to make
very hard to find the museum has to make a legal moral and ethical judgment about
a legal moral and ethical judgment about
a legal moral and ethical judgment about what it should do I never give up and we
what it should do I never give up and we
what it should do I never give up and we never gonna give up above the pizarra
never gonna give up above the pizarra
never gonna give up above the pizarra cases like the ownership of this
cases like the ownership of this
cases like the ownership of this impressionist masterpiece of forcing the
impressionist masterpiece of forcing the
impressionist masterpiece of forcing the legal community to reevaluate the
legal community to reevaluate the
legal community to reevaluate the intersection of property law and
intersection of property law and
intersection of property law and morality a single artwork has traveled
morality a single artwork has traveled
morality a single artwork has traveled through the years from a living room in
through the years from a living room in
through the years from a living room in Nazi Germany over oceans and back it’s a
Nazi Germany over oceans and back it’s a
Nazi Germany over oceans and back it’s a journey that represents both the best
journey that represents both the best
journey that represents both the best and worst of our humanity as society
and worst of our humanity as society
and worst of our humanity as society wrestles with the aftermath of war
”
Be First to Comment