US Supreme Court Ruling Revives Family’s Fight for Nazi-Stolen Pissarro Painting

A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling has reignited the legal battle over the rightful ownership of Camille Pissarro’s 1897 painting, "Rue Saint-Honoré, in the afternoon. Effect of rain," a masterpiece looted by the Nazis and now displayed at Madrid’s Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum.

The court's decision, citing new California legislation, reverses lower court rulings that had sided with the Spanish museum over the descendants of Julius Cassirer, a German Jewish art collector whose family was forced to surrender the painting under Nazi rule.

Lilly Cassirer Neubauer, Julius Cassirer’s daughter-in-law, was coerced into selling the painting in exchange for exit visas to escape Nazi Germany. The work changed hands multiple times before being purchased by the Spanish government in the 1990s.

The Cassirer family first sued in 2005 after discovering the painting’s whereabouts. The museum has argued that it was unaware of the painting’s origins when it acquired it and has refused to return it.

David Cassirer, great-grandson of Lilly Cassirer Neubauer, praised the Supreme Court’s decision.

"As a Holocaust survivor, my late father, Claude Cassirer, was very proud to become an American citizen in 1947, and he cherished the values of this country," he said.

The Supreme Court’s decision was influenced by a new California law requiring state courts to apply local property laws to cases involving Holocaust-looted artwork.

Governor Gavin Newsom, who signed the legislation, emphasized its importance:

"For survivors of the Holocaust and their families, the fight to reclaim stolen art continues to traumatize those who have already endured the unimaginable. This is both a moral and legal imperative."

The law builds on California’s longstanding commitment to aiding Holocaust survivors and their heirs in recovering stolen property.

The Cassirer case is one of many ongoing efforts to return stolen artworks to their rightful owners. Recent successes include:

• June 2024: The Netherlands returned Henri Matisse’s Odalisque to the heirs of Albert and Marie Stern.

• October 2024: A Louisiana family returned Claude Monet’s Bord de Mer after an FBI alert.

• July 2024: Manhattan authorities repatriated Egon Schiele’s Seated Nude Woman, front view to the family of Fritz Grünbaum, a Jewish critic of Hitler murdered in the Holocaust.

The Supreme Court has sent the case back to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which must now determine how the new California law affects the Cassirers’ claim.

The museum remains defiant, stating that it will continue to argue for its legal ownership. However, the Cassirer family and their lawyers remain hopeful that justice will finally be served.

"The recovery of Nazi-looted art sends a message to the world that crime does not pay," said Fritz Grünbaum’s descendant, Timothy Reif, after a recent restitution victory.

As the fight for justice continues, this case underscores the enduring impact of Holocaust-era crimes and the global effort to correct historical wrongs.

Israel stands with those seeking justice for Holocaust survivors and their families. Share this article or subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed on efforts to reclaim stolen Jewish heritage.