A slightly different approach this morning. This story raises all sorts of questions about property and the state.
The painting, looted by Nazis from a wealthy Jewish family in 1933, is recovered by the heirs. There's a lot to unwrap here, my gift to you this morning!

  • diode [none/use name]
    ·
    4 years ago

    I wonder how many of these were outright collaboration with and providing funds to Nazis. Sure in 1934 you can reasonably say that you didn't know that it could be confiscated property. But if some of the claimed artworks were sold after the Kristallnacht, then excuses would be harder.

    • PhaseFour [he/him]
      ·
      4 years ago

      NYC was filled with Nazi collaborators between 1933-1938.

      John Spivak has some great contemporary research into their networks. Secret Armies is a great read. Chapter VI literally talks about Nazi smuggling in NYC.

      When Orgell needed trusted men to deliver messages to and from the boats as well as to smuggle off material, he usually called upon the American branch of the Stahlhelm, or Steel Helmets, which used to drill secretly in anticipation of Der Tag in this country. Only when he felt that he was not being watched, or only in the event of the most important messages, did he go aboard the ships personally. Orgell's liaison man in the smuggling activities was Frank Mutschinski, a painting contractor who used to live at 116 Garland Court, Garritsen Beach, N.Y.

      Mutschinski came to the United States from Germany on the S.S. "George Washington," June 16, 1920. He was commander of one of the American branches of the Stahlhelm which had offices at 174 East 85th Street, New York. While he was in command, he received his orders direct from Franz Seldte, subsequently Minister of Labor under Hitler. Seldte at that time was in Magdeburg, Germany. Branches of the Stahlhelm were established by him and Orgell in Rochester, Chicago, Philadelphia, Newark, Detroit, Los Angeles and Toronto (the first step in the Fifth Column's invasion of Canada).

      To help Orgell in his smuggling activities, Mutschinski supplied him with a chief assistant, Carl Brunkhorst. It was Brunkhorst's job to deliver the secret letters. Nazi uniforms for American Storm Troopers were smuggled into this country off German ships by Paul Bante who lived at 186 East 93rd Street, New [81]York City. Bante, at the time he was engaged in the smuggling activities, was a member of the 244th Coast Guard as well as the New York National Guard. [1]

      This was absolutely the result of collaboration.