Austrian panel against returning Klimt piece to Jewish heirs
Original owner Erich Lederer sold the painting to the government after World War II, but heirs claim he was cheated
VIENNA — An Austrian panel has ruled against returning one of the country’s most stunning works of art to heirs of the original Jewish owner.
The monumental “Beethoven Frieze” is being claimed by heirs of Erich Lederer. It was painted by Austrian symbolist Gustav Klimt directly on the walls of Vienna’s Secession Building and is on permanent display there.
The panel, which examines claims from heirs of art works expropriated by the Nazis has no enforcing powers and can only make recommendations. But these are normally acted on by the government.
The Lederer family fled Austria in 1938, which led to the seizure of its extensive art collection. Many of the family’s valuable artworks, including 18 works by Klimt, were destroyed.
The “Beethoven Frieze” was returned to the family after World War II, but the state required that they sell the frieze to the government for half its value in order to export the rest of what was recovered of the family’s art collection to Switzerland, where they lived.
The family has now sued for the return of the work under a law passed in 2009 that allows for victims to file restitution claims if they were forced to sell the works for less than their values.
The work is a visual representation of the composer’s Ninth Symphony; it is on display in a government building and is featured on the country’s commemorative 100-euro coin.