New Laws Ignite Restitution Fight Over Nazi-Looted Art in LA and Auschwitz
Jewish heirs have filed two lawsuits—one in California against the Norton Simon Museum for a Cranach painting and another in federal court over watercolors painted by a Auschwitz prisoner—seeking return of Nazi-looted works. The push follows California AB 2867 and the federal Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2025, which expand avenues to recover art seized during the Holocaust, even as museums maintain title and public display. The cases underscore the emotionally charged, ongoing struggle to restore ownership to survivors and their families.