Restitution of artworks - museum honors Jewish patron

The Chemnitz Art Collections have returned three works of art to the heirs of the Jewish banker and patron Carl Heumann. These are two watercolors and a red chalk drawing by Asmus Jacob Carstens, Viktor Paul Mohn and Ernst Ferdinand Oehme, the museum announced. They were once part of Heumann's (1886-1945) graphic art collection. He came from a Jewish merchant family in Cologne and lived in Chemnitz from 1908.

Heumann suffered considerable repression and persecution under Nazi rule, explained Director General Florence Thurmes. The three restituted works were offered at an auction in 1938 and subsequently became part of the museum's collection. "We assume that they were seized as a result of persecution," said Thurmes. The return to the heirs is intended to honor Heumann's lifetime achievements and cultural commitment. "The decision underlines our commitment to historical responsibility, transparency and ethical handling of our collections."