New California Legislation Assists Holocaust Survivors in Reclaiming Nazi-Looted Art

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill (AB) 2867 on Monday, a landmark piece of legislation designed to help Holocaust survivors and their families recover art and personal property looted by the Nazis during World War II. The bill, introduced by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, was signed at the Holocaust Museum LA and is aimed at ensuring justice for those affected by the atrocities of the Holocaust.

“For survivors of the Holocaust and their families, the fight to take back ownership of art and other personal items stolen by the Nazis continues to traumatize those who have already gone through the unimaginable,” said Newsom in a statement. “It is both a moral and legal imperative that these valuable and sentimental pieces be returned to their rightful owners.”

AB 2867 was inspired by a January ruling from the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which allowed a Spanish museum to retain a famous 1897 Camille Pissarro painting stolen from Jewish woman Lilly Cassirer Neubauer during the Holocaust. Despite Neubauer’s family’s efforts, the court applied Spanish law rather than California law, leading to the museum’s retention of the artwork.

The new law mandates that California law must apply in lawsuits involving stolen property during the Holocaust, like in the Cassirer case. The legislation builds on existing California laws designed to help state residents recover stolen property, offering a clearer legal pathway for Holocaust survivors and their heirs.

“This is a victory for morality and justice,” said Gabriel, who co-chairs the California Legislative Jewish Caucus. “AB 2867 will go a long way to eliminate the incentive for museums and governments to hold onto Nazi loot.”

Sam Dubbin, attorney for the Cassirer family, called the new law “essential for truth, history, and justice,” emphasizing its importance for future cases and sending a strong message to museums worldwide.

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