American Jewish man to sell and donate father’s poster collection seized by Nazis

After years of legal battles, German museum returns 4,000 pieces — estimated at up to $20 million — to Peter Sachs

6 November 2012, 9:15 pm Edit

"German people, German work," an illustrative of a Nazi recruitment poster (photo credit: CC-BY-SA Bundesarchiv, Bild 102-15750, Wikimedia Commons)

BERLIN (AP) — An American Jewish man whose father’s extensive collection of unique posters was seized by the Nazis and only returned after years of legal battles is looking for a buyer.

Attorney Gary Osen, who represented Peter Sachs in his fight to get back the collection of some 4,000 posters from the German Historical Museum, said Tuesday his client hopes to find a buyer for the majority of the collection. He also plans to donate some 800 to museums and universities.

Osen says if a single buyer cannot be found, the posters will be sold at auction.

A German court awarded the collection of posters, which include advertisement and propaganda dating back to the late 19th century and worth €4.5 million to €16 million ($5.75 million to $20.44 million), in March.