The fate of a rare 18th-century violin has reopened debate over Germany’s efforts to return property looted from Jews by the Nazis.
The violin, made in 1706 by Giuseppe Guarneri, the Italian master, is said by its owners, a Nuremberg musical foundation, to be an “instrument of understanding”.
Yet a government commission has taken the unusual step of publicly shaming the foundation after it refused to pay compensation to the descendants of the violin’s Jewish former owner.
The Franz Hofmann und Sophie Hagemann Foundation claims information has come to light that suggests the violin was not looted. The affair has exposed the toothlessness of the German authorities to force private owners to return property or pay restitution.
Musical Foundation refuses to pay compensation to heirs of Jewish former owner
26 January 2021 • 6:08pm
The fate of a rare and precious 18th century violin has reopened debate over modern Germany’s efforts to return property looted from its Jewish owners by the Nazis.
The violin, made in 1706 by the Italian master Guarneri, is promoted by its current owners, a Nuremberg musical foundation, as an “instrument of understanding”.
But a German government commission last week took the highly unusual step of publicly shaming the foundation after it refused to pay compensation to the heirs of the violin’s Jewish former owner.
Looted Art in the Third Reich - The Saulmann Case
His attempts to obtain a visa to flee to Australia failed. On August 1, 1939, Hildesheimer took his own life. His widow was interned by the Nazis in the Gurs prison camp in southern France and finally managed to escape via Marseille. His two daughters also managed to emigrate to America.
In the foundation s hands
In 1974, the violinist Sophie Hagemann (1918 - 2010) from Nuremberg acquired the Guarneri violin, which was built in 1706. With her music group, Duo Modern, she dedicated her concerts to the so-called degenerate music that was banned during the Nazi regime. She was married to the composer Franz Hofmann, who was killed at the front in 1945.
Rare violin tests Germany s commitment to atone for its Nazi past
Felix Hildesheimers music store in Speyer, Germany. The store occupied the first floor of the building, and the Hildesheimers lived on the floors above. Via David Sand via The New York Times.
by Catherine Hickley
(NYT NEWS SERVICE)
.- No one knows why Felix Hildesheimer, a Jewish dealer in music supplies, purchased a precious violin built by the Cremonese master Giuseppe Guarneri at a shop in Stuttgart, Germany, in January 1938. His own store had lost its non-Jewish customers because of Nazi boycotts, and his two daughters fled the country shortly afterward. His grandsons say its possible that Hildesheimer was hoping he could sell the violin in Australia, where he and his wife, Helene, planned to build a new life with their younger daughter.
German Foundation Refuses to Compensate Heirs of Jewish Owner of Nazi Looted Violin | The Jewish Press - JewishPress com | David Israel | 13 Shevat 5781 – January 26, 2021 jewishpress.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from jewishpress.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.