Argentine court orders return of looted Nazi-era painting to owner's heir

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An Argentine court ordered the restitution of an 18th-century painting looted by Nazis from Jewish art dealer Jacques Goudstikker to his heir, Marei von Saher. The artwork was discovered in 2025 at the Mar del Plata home of Patricia Kadgien, the daughter of Nazi financier Friedrich Kadgien, after a Dutch journalist identified it on a real estate website. As part of a plea bargain to avoid trial for concealing stolen property, the current holders surrendered the painting, agreed to a two-year probation, and committed to a charitable donation of AR$4.8 million. The painting is currently held by the Argentine foreign ministry pending its return to the Netherlands.

Consequences

Marei von Saher plans to exhibit the painting in Argentina to raise awareness of Nazi-era genocide before it is returned to the Netherlands. The case concludes the recovery of an item listed by the Dutch Cultural Heritage Agency as missing, effectively ending legal claims regarding its possession.

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