On this page are posted messages for
and from visitors to the Bar.
If you have a message to add,
mail us at
artworks@yorku.ca
*******
>Subject: Your inquiry
>Cc:
>Bcc:
>X-Attachments:
>
>Dear Mr. Donner,
The Body Missing Website is designed to raise questions regarding the
Kunstraub policy of the Third Reich, as an instance of war trophy art theft
in general and its implications, but is not directly involved with searches
of the kind I think you require. Nevertheless, I would like to thank you
for writing, and wish you luck in your investigations. We will be happy to
post your request on our message centre in case someone has information
that might be helpful.
>
>Yours sincerely,
>Vera Frenkel
>
>
>
>>I AM LOOKING FOR ART WORKS STOLEN FROM NICE, FRANCE IN APROX. 1941.
>>IF YOU COULD HELP POINT ME IN THE RIGHT PLACES TO LOOK I WOULD BE FOREVER
>>GREAT FULL
>>
>>
>>EDWARD DONNER
>>ECWD3@AOL.COM
>
*******
Subject: Re: listing
>
>Dear Sher King,
>
>One of the bafflements of researching an ongoing lost art project such as
>Body Missing has been from the beginning the contradictory nature of lists
>I was able to access. And indeed the contradictions inherent in the
>various lists themselves formed a key theme of the Body Missing videotapes
>from which the Web site evolved.
>
>Aside from that, though rooted in fact, Body Missing is itself a work of
>art. It doesn't serve as a data base but rather as a catalyst for both
>investigative and philosophical inquiries. People do write to the
>artworks@yorku.ca address reporting certain missing works with a view to
>locating them, but these are purely individual initiatives.
>
>Events of the last six months which have so changed the public face of the
>postwar art market, though perhaps not its cunning, developed well after
>the first presentations of the Body Missing project in Austria, Germany
>and Sweden starting in 1994. At that time, the project grew out of an
>artist- in-residency commission in Linz, where Hitler spent his boyhood.
>My interest in missing artworks was seen as somewhat curious and caused
>much comment. Since then, the world of fact has caught up in part to my
>imaginings, but Body Missing remains a site for raising consciousness
>rather than actual sleuthing.
>
>A lawyer colleague of mine, however, Aaron Milrad, is in the process of
>completing a book on specific cases and points of law pertaining to stolen
>artworks, and perhaps he might have the kind of information you're
>seeking. He lives and works in Toronto. If you would like an
>introduction, let me know.
>
>I'd be interested to hear more about your article, and would like to read
>it when it's done. There is a research bibliography on the Web site and
>longstanding plans to include actual texts that we consider important for
>visitors to read. Let me know if this interests you. In the meantime,
>good luck with the piece.
>
>Best wishes,
>Vera Frenkel
>
>
>>Do you publish a listing of all work reported missing? I am writing an
>>article for Art Law and am in search of work reported missing in the
>>last 6 months. I would appreciate any information you can provide.
>>Thank you for your help.
>>
>>Sincerely,
>>Sher King
>
*******
>Subject: Re: Help for research.
>Hello Andrieu,
>
>Thank you for your message. I have just returned to Toronto and found it.
>What I would like to do is to refer you to a colleague of mine, a lawyer,
>who is doing work on some of the questions that interest you. His name is
>Aaron Milrad, and he is working on a book which will refer among other
>things to precedents affecting the nature of claims such as the kind you
>mention. Aaron does not have an e-mail address, but I will print out and
>fax your message to him, and also, at the next opportunity, will post it
>on the Web site itself.
>
>As soon as I have further information, I will let you know.
>
>Good luck and best wishes,
>
>Vera Frenkel
>
>>Hello.
>>
>>I am a student at the Law University of Maastricht, and I am doing some
>>research about the recovery of the works of art stolen by the nazis.
>>
>>I have found your Internet page very interesting, and I would like to
>>know if you have more information about some law cases concerning the
>>recovery of those works of art, For example, litigations because it
>>is nowadays impossible for the former owner to recover his
>>belongings, or works of arts that are now displayed in museums and
>>being claimed by private parties, or about some international
>>conventions that might have be set up to facilitate the return of
>>these special works of art stolen by the nazis to the country of
>>origin.
>>
>>If you have any information, may I ask you to send it to me ?
>>
>>My e-mail address is : LHHE.Andrieu@student.unimaas.nl
>>
>>Thank you very much.
>
*******
>Subject: Re: waldmuller painting
>Cc:
>Bcc:
>X-Attachments:
>
>Dear Tom,
>
>Thanks you for your interesting message and questions. Although Body
>Missing is a work of art which centres on the Kunstraub policies of the
>Third Reich and its implications, we try to be helpful with regard to
>inquiries such as yours.
>
>I'm unaware of a data base, and the lists I have are quite contradictory.
>However, in the aftermath of the Mauerbach auction in Vienna at the end of
>October, there is perhaps more openness in these matters, and experience
>with authenticating artworks. The auction house was Christie's and one of
>the key organizing agencies was the Israelitische Kultusgemeinde in
>Vienna. There was a full catalogue of works stolen by the Nazis, hidden
>and only recently brought to light. They may have general information
>regarding the Waldmüller paintings in the collection, and others that may
>have disappeared.
>
>There is also a major gathering of information in a much earlier book
>called Verlorene Werke der Malerei. It's out of print, but in many
>libraries. Perhaps if you are near a Goethe-Institut (what country are
>you writing from?), their library staff can help you locate the book.
>These two publications might provide a sense of the Waldmüllers in
>circulation, and how your friend's painting relates to them.
>
>If you are near an Austrian Embassy or consulate, they would no doubt have
>full press dossiers on the auction, and backgrounds to the works held by
>the Austrian government for so long.
>
>I can also post your inquiry on the messages page of the Body Missing
>website, to inform visitors, some of whom might be able to offer more
>practical assistance than I can.
>
>Good luck with your search, and best wishes,
>
>Vera Frenkel
>
*******
ßDate: Tue, 07 Jan 1997 04:18:37 -0500
>From: tom
>To: artworks@yorku.ca
>Subject: waldmuller painting
>
>greetings,
> my friend has recently inherited a painting, attributed to ferdinand
>waldmuller...the painting was purchased by his father, who was working
>for the us gov't in vienna immediately after ww2...how might we (1)
>confirm the authenticity of the painting and also(2),ensure that the
>painting was not a part of the nazi kunstraub? any suggestions on where
>to start...any internet databases available re/stolen art?...any
>pictoral collections of waldmuller's work? any help you may provide
>will be appreciated.
> regards,
> slotech@jbic.com
*******
>Message to Artworks
>
>Your excerpt about MFA&A activities in Northern BAvaria appeared on a
>regular search about art at the end of the war. Is this a report which
>could be ordered?
>
>My father, Walter I Farmer, was the MFA&A Director of the Wiesbaden
>Collecting Point in 1945-6 and was honored by the German Government with a
>service cross in February of this year for the Wiesbaden MAnifesto. We
>have been working with Dr. Klau Glodmann of Berlin for 10 years searching
>for missing museum collections. Wiesbaden had very little loot.
>
>I am currently finishing fathers memoirs and writing an article for
>publication in Berlin. I would be interested in obtaining a copy of Andre
>Kormendi's report and would gladly share any sources I may be contact
>with.
>
>I look forward to hearing from you.
>
>Margaret Farmer Planton
*******
Subject: Request re missing Polish art
I need information about four paintings by Maurycy Gottlieb, a
Polish-Jewish painter from Cracow, that belonged to my family. I attach a
letter I have sent to various sources in Poland which explains and
describes what I am looking for. Any news or ideas would be welcome
Vivian Holzer Rozental
48, Belgrave Square
London SW1X 8QR, England
Telephone: (44171) 235-6515
235-9165
Fax: (44171)259-5028
London, November 27, 1996
Mr. Ornat,
ul. Szeroka 17
Cracow, Poland
Dear Sirs,
I should like to enlist your assistance in locating four oil paintings by
the Polish-Jewish painter Maurycy Gottlieb that belonged to my grandfather,
Leon Holzer, of Krakow Poland, that disappeared from our family home during
World War II. It is possible that these works of art were removed by German
forces during the war and might have found their way into the art market,
or be among the many art treasures that were recovered from Germany.
>
>The paintings are described as:
>
> 1. Tulacz studjum ol. - A portrait of an old man with a long white
>beard
> 2. Scena ëz ìFaustaî, szkic ol.- A scene of a woman standing next
>to an arch while two men look at her taking sacred water
> 3. Na balkonie szkic kompozycyjny ol.- Scene of a woman with a
>head dress reading on a balcony
> 4. Zygmunt August, studjum ol.- Portrait of a man with dark hair
>
>I have black and white pictures of these paintings in a catalogue of a
>pre-war exhbition of Gottlieb in Poland, where they are identified as
>belonging to the collection of Leon Holzer, Krakow.
>
>Any help or information that you might give me would be appreciated. I
>would also be interested in knowing whether there are other sources I
>could contact on this matter.You can reach me at my current address in
>London where my husband is posted as the Mexican Ambassador.
>
>Thank you very much for your help.
*******
>From: Andres Rozental
>Subject: Re: Missing Polish Art
>Thank you for your reply to my note. I do not know why the page was garbled.
>There are no images of the missing works available, but I have catalogue
>reproductions in my home in Mexico. I would appreciate any help you can give
>by posting the information and titles of the missing Gottlieb paintings on
>the Net and we shall see what happens. Thank you.
>Vivian Rozental
>
*******
From: "Marc J. Masurovsky"
Subject: looted art
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
My name is Marc J. Masurovsky. I am the director of Research at the
Holocaust Art Restitution Project (HARP) of the B'nai B'rith Klutznick
National Jewish Museum of Washington, DC. I stumbled onto your
website/multimedia piece re Linz by chance and it has left me
speechless. Please reply to this e-mail as I want to discuss it with
someone from your group/organization.
HARP's mission is to document and research the fate of Jewish cultural
property seized by the Nazis between 1933 and 1945 and dispersed after
the war throughout the world. HARP hopes that this research will lead
to recovery efforts and will encourage the families of those who lost
these works to step forward and reclaim these works.
I look forward to hearing from you, whoever you are. The least that I
can say is that your production on Linz is extremely moving. Bravo!
Marc Masurovsky
visit our website which is still under construction at
http://www.lostart.org
*******
Subject: Madonnina
Date: Thu, 14 May 1998 21:53:12 +0200
Dear Sirs,
Having read the following message on your page, I am writing to ask you if
you ever had any answers concerning the Madonna of the Streets by Ferruzzi.
If you haven't, could you give me "Stephanie"'s address so I can ask her if
she was able to find out more about this painting? On the other hand, you
may prefer to give her my address < s.turner@inrete.it > and ask if she
could drop me a line. Either way, I would be most grateful.
>Date: Fri, 4 Jul 1997 01:24:32
>Subject: "Madonnina"
>I have been researching for about 6 months now,trying to find information on
>a 19th century Italian artist named Roberto Ferruzzi and his painting>entitled
>"Madonnina" or "Madonna of the streets". One article I read in a magazine
>called Queen of all Hearts, put out by Montfort Missionaries in New York,
>stated that the original had been lost, perhaps during the war. A picture of
>the "Madonnina" can be seen at URL www.udayton.edu/mary/maryrq15.html
>If you know anything of this painting, could you please let me know.>Thank
>you,
>Stephanie>*******
*******
Subject: Bruegel
Through inquieries at the MET in New York City, which at present has a
Bruegel Exhibition, I found a trace of a Bruegel painting stolen by the
Nazis from our family in Vienna in 1938. It was researched after the war
and known to have been in the posession of Baldur von Schirach, a high
ranking Nazi, and presumed to be lost.
The painting is titled "Wolf und Hirte", Öl auf Holz 42 by 50 cm, or in
english "The good Shepard" oil on wood. It appearently was, or still is,
in the Kronacker Collection in Bruxelles.
My research on the internet has not produced any results, neither further
inquieries at the MET. "Kronacker" does not show up anywhere.
Sincerely
Mr. and Mrs. J.Hans Kluge
*******
Subject: Breugel
In regard to the missing Bruegel, I am not sure what posting of my message
to the "Body missing" website would accomplish?
Through the information contained in a catalogue entitled "The complete
paintings of Bruegel" prepared by Piero Bianconi and published in 1967
provided to us by the MET we know that the work has been and may still be
in the KRONACKER collection in Brussels. The MET could not, unfortunately
provide more details on Bianconi or Kornacker. My inquieries with the
publishers of the catalouge, nor research at Toronto libraries produced any
results.
We would be most grateful if you happend to have any contacts in Brussels
we can approach that may know of the Kronacker collection, or if you have
any ideas that may help in finding this work.
We have all the documentation with GESTAPO and VUGESTA numbers that
identifies the picture.
Sincerely,
J. Hans Kluge
*******
Subject: ART UNDER A DICTATORSHIP - LINZ
September 23, 1998
I came across you web-site as a link from a friend's - Norman White - and,
after reading the focus of your research, I realized that I have
something to add.
I have been interested all my life in the rise and fall of the nazis and
the holocaust. I have a book which describes the goals, policies and
practises of the nazis regarding art. It refers to Hitler's Linz art
museum. It was written by a german and published in 1954 -
Lehmann-Haupt, Hellmut; ART UNDER A DICTATORSHIP (1954); Oxford
University Press, New York.
I hope you find the following useful.
I quote from the book:
"On 8 July 1937, quite without warning, Professor Adolf Zietler arrived
at the Kunsthalle in Mannheim with two assistants and brandished a piece
of paper with Goebbels' signature on it. Professor Ziegler, Nazidom's
number-one painter, was known to the opposite faction as 'The Master of
the Pubic Hair' for his meticulously detailed nudes. He was authorized
by a special order from the Fuehrer to 'secure' all painings and
sculptures of "degenerate' German art since 1910 that were in the
possession of the Reich and of any of its Laender or individual
municipalities.
What happened in Mannheim was typical of Professor Ziegler's procedure
wherever he went. The confiscated items were to be shipped to Munich
for an exhibition at which examples of "degenerate" art would be
publicly displayed and derided. The party operators collected
paintings, sculputores, and drawings by such men as Wilhelm Lehmbruck,
Franz Marc, Max Beckmann, Carl Hofer, George Grosz, and Will Baumeister,
and also by foreigners such as Andre Derain, Edvard Munch, Alexander
Archipenko, and Marc Chagall. The operation was nation-wide and
wholesale. Sixteen-thousand works of art - paintings, sculptures,
drawings, and prints - by nearly 1400 different artists were gathered
up. Compleate and final destruction of a whole culture was the
intention." (p. 78)
...."Very few works of art in public collections escaped. At the
Kronprinzen-Palais two of the floor attendants managed to hide Erich
Heckel's much-attacked Madonna of Ostende between two doors, and after
the raid was over they telephoned the artist to hide the painting away
somewhere. Such occurrences were rare exceptions. Ziegler's men were
extremely thorough." (p. 81)
.... But the Nazis had other motives besides the protection of German culture
against "the poisoning influence upon public opinion' of this type of
art. On 31 May 1938, some months after the collecting had been
completed, a law was passed over the signatures of Hitler and Goebbels
legalizing the seizures and making provisions for the further
exploitation of the booty. They disposed of their loot with exactly the
same cold-blooded calculation with which they utilized the gold fillings
from the teeth and ashes from the bones of their gas-chamber victims.
All items of international value were sold outside of Germany, and a
final report was made to the Fuehrer by the Propoganda Ministry. It is
possible that the figures were tampered with to conceal 'unofficial'
transactions, but according to the report they netted more than 10,000
pounds, nearly 45,000 dollars, and about 8000 Swiss francs. A major
portion of the confiscated art was sold in Switzerland at a public
auction held in the Theodor Fischer Gallery in Lucerne on 30 June 1939.
Some of the proceeds were used to buy what the Party considered
desirable examples of German national art for Hitler's LINZ MUSEUM -
nineteenth-century Romantic pictures for the most part, with a dreamy
landscape by Caspar David Friedrich as the star item. Other examples of
nineteenth-century German art were acquired by barter. More than thirty
paintings by members of the expressionist school, with nearly
two-hundred prints and sculptures thrown in for good measure, were
bartered for a single painting by a man named Oehme. The 'worthless'
paintings, namely, those that seemed to have no barter or sale value,
had already been sorted out. They were burned in the spring of 1939 by
the Berlin Fire Brigade.
Before the disposal of the booty had actually got under way, Goering
took a look at it. His haughty eye fell with favor on some paintings
by Van Gogh, Gauguin, Marc, and Munch, and he made off with them for his
private collection. Unlike Hitler, who practiced his preachments about
the value of German art above all other art, Goering's digestion was
never upset by the 'international poison' that he himself devoured in
such generous helpings.
There were several leaks; the meshes of the dragnet were rather wide.
Professor Heise, whose museum in Luebeck did not escape the
confiscations, said to me in 1950: 'What I thought especially cheap in
this operation was the fact that one was offered these pictures right
away for repurchase. I was secretly offered virtually all the museum
painitings confiscated in Luebeck. One or two of them I was able to
buy, others I got friends to purchase.' (p. 81-82)
*******
From: "HARLAN SISLER" sisler1@hovac.com
Subject: Madonna of the Street
Date: Mon, 20 Jul 1998 15:02:21
I purchased a painting of Madonna by Ferruzzi at an estate auction in
Blackstone,Va. this is the home of Ft. Pickett which was a German prisoner
of war camp. The picture is about 14"X19" est. not actual. It is either a
print or pastel I cannot tell, it is framed in a gold overlay 1" frame. The
left lower border of the inlay, outlining the painting, is signed Ferruzzi
and the right Madonna. The right lower picture is singed, Roberto Ferruzzi
with the date 1897. This picture is soul catching the blue eyes of Madonna
reach out. I know nothing about painting or prints and would like some
information to verify which I have. I know its over 30 years old by the
color of the paper and the type of framing. if you can help e-mail me at
sisler1@hovac.com thanks
*******
Date: Tue, 9 Jun 1998 10:33:30 -0700 (PDT)
From: Zach Anderson zma@rocketmail.com
Subject: Japan/Philippines
I understand that much of the European art, gold, and gem treasuries
were moved to southeast asia and into Japan's path. The Netherlands
shipped to the Dutch East Indies, France to Indochine, and Britain
(with the exception of the Crown jewels) to Singapore. Finding themselves
further and further from home, Japan shipped to the Philippines
via cargo ships disguised as Red Cross.
Is anyone currently involved in a project to recover stolen art
in the Philippines? If so, drop me a line or refer parties to
zma@rocketmail.com.
Zach Anderson
*******
Date: Tue, 23 Dec 1997 12:31:11 -0800
From: roz roz@wws.net
Organization: roz
MIME-Version: 1.0
To: artworks@yorku.ca
Subject: Madonna & Child of the Street
X-URL: http://www.yorku.ca/bodymissing/message.html
Status:
I have a painting/print that I purchased from an estate sale years ago,
the painting/print appears to be at least 50 years old. I have not
opened up the painting/print from the frame for fear of damaging it. Can
you give me more information on this?
Thanks,
Roz
*******
From: melodie@connect.ab.ca
Subject: Madonnina
I believe I know the location of the orriginal of Madonnina.If you could
send me a phone number for Stephanie who put out a bulletin on Fri. 4
Jul.1997 on your web site or have her E-MAIL me at melodie@connect.ab.ca.
Thank you G.Mcleod
*******
From: "Steve Freiman" sfreiman@sprynet.com
To: artworks@yorku.ca
Subject: HARP Washington D.C.
Date: Sat, 16 May 1998 14:42:09 -0400
Regarding the personal attempts at locating lost art works, try the
organization listed above. Harp is housed in the BNAI BRITH Kunstler
Museum and is staffed by experts in this field. Holocaust Art Restitution
Project- Ori Soltes Director, Marc Masurovsky ,Researcher.
*******
Date: Sun, 10 May 1998 19:35:32 +0000
From: brendan pittaway brendan.pittaway@virgin.net
Subject: Looted art (FAO Vera Frenkel)
Dear Vera,
Apologies for not having spoken for some time. Things over here, as I
presume with yourself, have been rather busy.You may remember that the
last time we spoke, I was working in TV on a documentary about the
looting of art during WWII.
I would dearly like to speak to you some time in the near future now I'm
clearing the cobwebs from the old grey matter to concentrate on my
looted art project. Would it be possible to send me an e-mail as soon as
is convenient so we can arrange when it would be feasible for me to give
you a call? I would very much appreciate the effort.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes,
Brendan Pittaway
*******
From: "Simon Turner" s.turner@inrete.it
To: artworks@yorku.ca
Subject: Madonnina
Date: Thu, 14 May 1998 21:53:12 +0200
Dear Sirs,
Having read the following message on your page, I am writing to ask you if
you ever had any answers concerning the Madonna of the Streets by
Ferruzzi. If you haven't, could you give me "Stephanie"'s address so I can
ask her if she was able to find out more about this painting? On the other
hand, you may prefer to give her my address < s.turner@inrete.it > and
ask if she could drop me a line. Either way, I would be most grateful.
*******>
>Date: Fri, 4 Jul 1997 01:24:32 -0400 (EDT)>To: artworks@yorku.ca
>Subject: "Madonnina"
>I have been researching for about 6 months now,trying to find information on
>a 19th century Italian artist named Roberto Ferruzzi and his painting>entitled
>"Madonnina" or "Madonna of the streets". One article I read in a magazine
>called Queen of all Hearts, put out by Montfort Missionaries in New York,
>stated that the original had been lost, perhaps during the war. A picture of
>the "Madonnina" can be seen at URL www.udayton.edu/mary/maryrq15.html
>If you know anything of this painting, could you please let me
>know.>Thank you,
>Stephanie>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks and regards
Simon Turner
Turin - Italy
PS - the picture of the Madonnina has been moved and is now at:
http://www.udayton.edu/mary/questions/yq/yq15.html
*******
From: "Simon Turner" s.turner@inrete.it
To: "Vera Frenkel"
Subject: Re: Madonnina
Dear Vera Frenkel
That's very kind of you - you can be sure that I'll keep you informed of any
developments.
Thanks and best wishes
Simon Turner
-----Original Message-----
From: Vera Frenkel
To: Simon Turner s.turner@inrete.it
Date: lunedì 18 maggio 1998 17.22
Subject: Re: Madonnina
Dear Simon Turner,
Thank you for your message and your inquiry. We have only just returned to
Toronto after being away for some time, and along with an enormous amount
of work waiting for me, I am now beginning to review the Body Missing mail.
There are many messages which have arrived and which will be posted when we
start programming again, hopefully later this month. This is just a sign
of life to say your message has arrived and will be acted upon.
As you suggest, I will send "Stephanie" your e-mail address, and would be
grateful for copies of the ensuing correspondence so that we can post it on
the site as examples to others.
Best wishes,
Vera Frenkel
*******
Date: Sat, 16 May 1998 18:34:10 -0700 (PDT)
From: Fern Smiley fernsmile@yahoo.com
Subject: A Body of Found Art
Dear Vera,
If you receive this, please know that I found your art
piece gripping and haunting. I'm only sorry that I didn't learn about
it sooner.
Fern Smiley
*******
From: "Simon Turner" s.turner@inrete.it
To: "STEFFINPA" STEFFINPA@aol.com
Subject: Re: Madonnina
Date: Wed, 20 May 1998 10:46:24 +0200
Dear Stephanie
Thank you for your message. I was indeed enquiring about the 'Madonnina',
but I'm afraid I have no idea where it is (if indeed it has not been lost,
as you suggest). I'll hunt around here in Italy to see if anyone can help: I
was asked about this painting by a correspondent in the UK who has seen
statues made of it by Italian craftsmen. If I can track down these
sculptors, they might just know what has happened to their original model.
I'll let you and Vera Frenkel know if I get anywhere.
Regards
Simon Turner
-----Original Message-----
From: STEFFINPA STEFFINPA@aol.com
To: s.turner@inrete.it s.turner@inrete.it
Date: mercoledì 20 maggio 1998 07.36
Subject: Madonnina
Dear Simon,
I understand that you were inquiring about the Ferruzzi Madonnina. Do you
have any information on its whereabouts? If you have any questions for me,
please feel free to write me at Steffinpa@aol.com
Regards,
Stephanie
*******
From: STEFFINPA STEFFINPA@aol.com
To: s.turner@inrete.it
Subject: Re: Re: Madonnina
Dear Simon,
Perhaps some of the information I have found might help in your search. I
dont know a whole lot because finding information about Roberto Ferruzzi is
almost impossible.
At age 30, Ferruzzi exhibited for the first time at the Turin exhibit (1883).
At the exhibit in Venice in 1896 is where the Madonnina was shown. It was
purchased by Vittorio Alinari of the Fratelli Alinari. He sold it, (but not
the reproduction rights) to a John G. A. Leishman in the same year. Mister
Leishman was the last known owner of the painting. He was a U.S. Ambassador
and it hung for a while in the U.S. Embassy at Bern Switzerland. No one seems
to know what Mr Leishman did with it. I believe that John G.A. Leishman died
in France in 1924.
He had a son, John G.A. Leishman Jr., a daughter Mrs James Hazen Hyde of New
York, and a daughter Princess De Croy who married into Belgian nobility.
My main interest at the moment is what the medium of the painting was. Most
just assume that it was oil on canvas, but no one seems to know for sure. I
do know that he also worked in pastells and that the painting that was
exhibited with the Madonnina was indeed a pastel entitled Verso la luce
(toward the light).
I hope this information helps. Keep me posted. Looking forward to hearing
from you.
Stephanie
*******
From: STEFFINPA STEFFINPA@aol.com
Date: Wed, 20 May 1998 22:51:31 EDT
To: vfrenkel@yorku.ca
Thank you so much for forwarding the inquiry about my posting regarding
Roberto Ferruzzi. I will definitely let you know if we find anything.
Thanks again,
Stephanie
*******
Date: Thu, 05 Mar 1998 20:31:39 -0002
From: LHHE.Andrieu@STUDENT.UNIMAAS.NL
Subject: Help for research.
Hello.
I am a student at the Law University of Maastricht, and I am doing some
research about the recovery of the works of art stolen by the nazis.
I have found your Internet page very interesting, and I would like to
know if you have more information about some law cases concerning the
recovery of those works of art, For example, litigations because it
is nowadays impossible for the former owner to recover his
belongings, or works of arts that are now displayed in museums and
being claimed by private parties, or about some international
conventions that might have be set up to facilitate the return of
these special works of art stolen by the nazis to the country of
origin.
If you have any information, may I ask you to send it to me ?
My e-mail address is : LHHE.Andrieu@student.unimaas.nl
Thank you very much.
*******
Date: Wed, 28 May 1997 20:29:14 +0000
From: PACKARD BELL brendan.pittaway@virgin.net
Subject: sonderauftrag linz
Dear Vera Frenkel,
I'm a television journalist working in Manchester, England, on a
proposed programme for network TV on the looting by the Nazis of
European art during the Second World War.
While trawling the net at the weekend, I noticed your `Body Missing'
site and was intrigued to say the least.
I would like a chance to chat to you - via e-mail or (more preferably)
over the phone - about the research done by you and your colleagues.
I can be reached either at the above e-mail address or at my office
(44-161 827 2073) or on a cellular phone (44-410 023207).
I would be very grateful for a call.
Yours sincerely,
Brendan Pittaway
PS This is only the second e-mail message I've sent (and the first of
any importance) so I hope it reaches you intact!
*******
Date: Fri, 31 Jan 1997 16:05:32 -0700
From: malcolm & tommi jumpoff@echoweb.net
While not overwhelmingly knowledgeable on this subject, i am very
interested in following any discussion being held. i find all
practice of the third reich to be particularly awful. i can be
reached at tdrake@rogue.cc.or.us. thankd for the inclusion.
ciao
tommi
*******
Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 10:14:15 -0800
From: "C.H. Kwint" S0716790@let.rug.nl
Subject: thesis
Sorry to dissapoint you, I've not found a missing art work or heard
about one. I am Christian Kwint. I am a student of history at the
University of Groningen. Recently I wrote a paper of about 25 pages
concerning the Linz File and the plunder of art in Europe, mainly The
Netherlands (where I live). As always, this paper includes a booklist
about this topic and I wondered if that might be of any use to your
research. If you are interested, please mail me: C.H.Kwint@let.rug.nl
and I hope to be of any assistance.
Sincerely yours,
Christian Kwint
*******
Dear Ms. Frenkel,
I sincerely appreciate the time and effort you have put forth to help
in this matter. I haven't spoken to the present owner of the painting
since my first communication with you, but I can see no reason not to
post my original query to your site.
We really have no reason to believe that the painting is stolen, yet
that possiblity was discussed, in light of the era in which my friend's
father purchased the artwork. His father, as I mentioned, was working
for the U.S. State Department in Vienna soon after WWII, obviously a
time of change and confusion. His father did say that the painting was
sold as a Waldmuller, at auction from the Dorotheum. To my knowledge,
there is no other information about the transaction. Would the
Dorotheum have auctioned stolen art?
We decided to first make certain that the painting is actually a
Waldmuller; this took me to the internet, with little success. I was
hoping to find photos of his known work and match the painting to a
photo.
If the painting is a Waldmuller, as attributed, then we planned to try
to determine if it was reported stolen during the war. We decided not
to put it an appraiser's hands until we were fairly certain that it
isn't stolen.
I guess I'm getting around to the ethical issues: If the painting is a
Waldmuller...and it was reported stolen...what then? It's probably
quite valuable (haven't looked into that yet; could you estimate a
general sale-price history?) and my friend might not want to lose it
(this discussion hasn't occurred yet, so I don't know his thinking).
So perhaps you could relate any information you may have about cases
of this type...would the present owner face confiscation of the artwork?
Is there any precedent for compensation for his father's investment? I
also wonder, if it were stolen, what the auction house's responsibility
would be in all this.
This is all speculation at this point...first things first...my next
step is to try to find photographs of Waldmuller's work. To that end,
your offer to post my original query is, I believe, a forward step.
I live in Ohio, but I'm in Baltimore often; I think your suggestion to
visit the Austrian embassy in DC is agood one.
Incidentally, my neighbor, when I lived in Baltimore. was Victor
Frenkel, a well-known builder and developer.
Again, thank you,
Tom
*******
From: "C.H. Kwint" S0716790@let.rug.nl
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 10:57:46 +0100
Subject: bibliography
Hello there....
I read your mail and I would say that I would consider it as an honor
to have my name included in the bibliography section of the Body
Missing website. Unfortunately I dont have the time to translate my
thesis into English due to my internship at a school. (Where I taught
the children about this topic). The title of my thesis is " The Aryan
as a Artcreator" Subtitle: " Art and National-Socialism". The thesis
consists of 24 pages.
The bibliography:
ENGLISH LITERATURE:
K. Akinsha & G. Kozlov with S. Hochfield, " Stolen treasure. The hunt
for the world's masterpieces". (London 1995).
R. Chamberlain, " Loot! The heritage of plunder". (Japan 1983).
J.E. Elen, " Missing old master drawings from the Franz Koenigs
collection, claimed by the State of The Netherlands". (Den Haag 1989).
T.C. Howe jr., " Salt mines and castles. The discovery and
restitution of loted European art". (New York 1946).
C. de Jaeger, " The Linz file. Hitlers plunder of Europe's art".
(Exeter 1981).
L.H. Nicholas, " The rape of Europa. The fate of Europe's treasures
in the Third Reich and the Second World War". (New York 1994).
GERMAN LITERATURE:
H. Brenner, " Die Kunstpolitik des National-sozialismus". (Muenchen
1963).
G. Busch, " Entartete Kunst. Geschichte und Moral". (Frankfurt am
Main 1969).
F. Roh, " Entartete Kunst. Kunstbarbarei im Dritten Reich". (Hannover
1962).
DUTCH LITERATURE:
F.J. Duparc, " Een eeuwige strijd voor Nederlands cultureel erfgoed".
(Den Haag 1975).
D. Hannema, " Flitsen uit mijn leven". (Amsterdam 1973).
E. van Konijnenburg, " Roof, Restitutie, Reparatie. (proefschrift)
(Arnhem 1948).
A. Venema, " Kunsthandel in Nederland 1940-1945". (Amsterdam 1986).
" De betwiste voogdij over een kunstschat" Het Parool 20-5-1995.
" Kunst en liegwerk" Volkskrant 15-2-1986.
" Nederlandse claim op collectie Koenigs is geheel legitiem"
Volkskrant 14-5-1991.
I hope to have been of some sort of assistance here. Keep up the
good work and I hope to hear from you in the nearest future.
Sincerely yours,
Christian kwint
University of Groningen
Faculty of Arts.
*******
Date: Fri, 03 Apr 1998 09:58:19 -0500
From: "Marc J. Masurovsky" cyber94@ix.netcom.com
Subject: looted art
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
My name is Marc J. Masurovsky. I am the director of Research at the
Holocaust Art Restitution Project (HARP) of the B'nai B'rith Klutznick
National Jewish Museum of Washington, DC. I stumbled onto your
website/multimedia piece re Linz by chance and it has left me
speechless. Please reply to this e-mail as I want to discuss it with
someone from your group/organization.
HARP's mission is to document and research the fate of Jewish cultural
property seized by the Nazis between 1933 and 1945 and dispersed after
the war throughout the world. HARP hopes that this research will lead
to recovery efforts and will encourage the families of those who lost
these works to step forward and reclaim these works.
I look forward to hearing from you, whoever you are. The least that I
can say is that your production on Linz is extremely moving. Bravo!
Marc Masurovsky
cyber94@ix.netcom.com
visit our website which is still under construction at www.lostart.org.
*******
I AM LOOKING FOR ART WORKS STOLEN FROM NICE, FRANCE IN APROX. 1941.
IF YOU COULD HELP POINT ME IN THE RIGHT PLACES TO LOOK I WOULD BE FOREVER
GREAT FULL
EDWARD DONNER
ECWD3@AOL.COM
*******
Date: Fri, 4 Jul 1997 01:24:32 -0400 (EDT)
To: artworks@yorku.ca
Subject: "Madonnina"
I have been researching for about 6 months now,trying to find information on
a 19th century Italian artist named Roberto Ferruzzi and his painting
entitled "Madonnina" or "Madonna of the streets". One article I read in a magazine
called Queen of all Hearts, put out by Montfort Missionaries in New York,
stated that the original had been lost, perhaps during the war. A picture of
the "Madonnina" can be seen at URL www.udayton.edu/mary/maryrq15.html
If you know anything of this painting, could you please let me know.
Thank you,
Stephanie
*******
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 1996 21:19:22 -0800
From: Andres Rozental arg@easynet.co.uk
To: artworks@yorku.ca
I need information about four paintings by Maurycy Gottlieb, a
Polish-Jewish painter from Cracow, that belonged to my family. I attach a
letter I have sent to various sources in Poland which explains and
describes what I am looking for. Any news or ideas would be welcome
Vivian Holzer Rozental
London, November 27, 1996
*******
Mr. Ornat,
Cracow, Poland
Dear Sirs,
I should like to enlist your assistance in locating four oil paintings by
the Polish-Jewish painter Maurycy Gottlieb that belonged to my
grandfather, Leon Holzer, of Krakow Poland, that disappeared from our
family home during World War II. It is possible that these works of art
were removed by German forces during the war and might have found their
way into the art market, or be among the many art treasures that were
recovered from Germany.
The paintings are described as:
1. Tulacz studjum ol. - A portrait of an old man with a long white
beard
2. Scena ëz ìFaustaî, szkic ol.- A scene of a woman standing next
to an arch while two men look at her taking sacred water
3. Na balkonie szkic kompozycyjny ol.- Scene of a woman with a
head dress reading on a balcony
4. Zygmunt August, studjum ol.- Portrait of a man with dark hair
I have black and white pictures of these paintings in a catalogue of a
pre-war exhbition of Gottlieb in Poland, where they are identified as
belonging to the collection of Leon Holzer, Krakow.
Any help or information that you might give me would be appreciated. I
would also be interested in knowing whether there are other sources I
could contact on this matter.You can reach me at my current address in
London where my husband is posted as the Mexican Ambassador.
Thank you very much for your help.
*******
From: tom
To: artworks@yorku.ca
Subject: waldmuller painting
Status:
greetings,
my friend has recently inherited a painting, attributed to ferdinand
waldmuller...the painting was purchased by his father, who was working
for the us gov't in vienna immediately after ww2...how might we (1)
confirm the authenticity of the painting and also(2),ensure that the
painting was not a part of the nazi kunstraub? any suggestions on where
to start...any internet databases available re/stolen art?...any
pictoral collections of waldmuller's work? any help you may provide
will be appreciated.
regards,
slotech
*******
From: Margaret Planton ab005@seorf.ohiou.edu
Subject: MFA&A
Date: Mon, 5 Aug 1996 21:54:38 -0400 (EDT)
Your excerpt about MFA&A activities in Northern BAvaria appeared on a
regular search about art at the end of the war. Is this a report which
could be ordered?
My father, Walter I Farmer, was the MFA&A Director of the Wiesbaden
Collecting Point in 1945-6 and was honored by the German Government with a
service cross in February of this year for the Wiesbaden MAnifesto. We
have been working with Dr. Klau Glodmann of Berlin for 10 years searching
for missing museum collections. Wiesbaden had very little loot.
I am currently finishing fathers memoirs and writing an article for
publication in Berlin. I would be interested in obtaining a copy of Andre
Kormendi's report and would gladly share any sources I may be contact
with.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Margaret Farmer Planton
*******
From: "A. Francois de Lastic"
aflastic@MicroNet.fr
Found your site extremely interesting.
A member of my family died in Auschwitz during WWII. He had an important
collection of paintings and sculptures. Most of them were trusted to
"friends" at the beginning of the war. A lot have never been returned to
his surviving sister (my grand mother). (We do have a list of the
objects). Where could I find informations on the newly discovered work
of art "stolen" during WW II in Russia and Germany.
Thanks in advance for your answer.
François de Lastic
*******
From: 73003.2337@compuserve.com
Date: Fri, 13 Oct 1995 22:44:10 -0400
To: Artworks@YorkU.CA
Subject: beyond
Status: RO
this a message with the body missing.
this is a body with the message missing.
this is a missing with the body message.
we are sorry that our bodies were missing - @ V.T.- but we got the message
xox
loris + christina
*******
From: bapgar@uoguelph.ca
Name: Bill Apgar
Subject: participation in BodyMissing
I would like to submit a short offering that I believe will have
relevance to BodyMissing. Please advise me as to whom it should be sent
(I cannot find an email address for Vera Frenkel).
I can send my submission as either a textfile, or as an HTML-encoded
file. I trust that when you have seen it, you will be able to judge
whether or not it fits the ambience and will be valued.
Thanks,
Bill Apgar
