Film about Nazi art theft: “The woman in gold”: Who complains wins – Tagesspiegel

18:29 clock From Daniela Sannwald

Gustav Klimt’s famous “Adele” -Painting was the Jewish owners taken away by the Nazis and retained by the State Austria long. Simon Curtis’ film “The Woman in Gold” reconstructs a historical scandal.

Seven years sat Adele Bloch-Bauer model, to one of the most famous portraits of the history of art was finished: “Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I” originated Between 1900 and 1907, in recent years the kukMonarchie when the artists of the Vienna Secession, led by Gustav Klimt, its great successes celebrated. The picture, although millions printed on postcards and posters, bags and cups, vases and ashtrays, amazed still and even more so the longer you look at it – in spite of the amounts kitsch suspicious gold leaf, used the Klimt for dress and background of his patron. In the somewhat veiled glance Adele, in the pale complexion, the fine veining of the long-fingered hands her early death seems already enrolled. Despite all its splendor, it is a morbid portrait. In fact, Adele Bloch-Bauer died in 1925 of meningitis

It may be in at least see a time historic consolation. So they did not have to witness the arrival of the Nazis in Vienna, to its Austro-Catholic countrymen cheered with vehemence or helpless watch as her family first robbed and then partly sold, partly was murdered. “The woman in gold” is concerned with the history of this Klimt image which looked at the Austrian state for a long time as his property and are reluctant to its rightful owner, Adele Bloch-Bauer’s niece Maria Altmann, returned. Although Helen Mirren Maria Altmann is, Ryan Reynolds and her lawyer Daniel Brühl the courageous Viennese journalist Hubertus Czernin – and even if the story follows a typical David-against-Goliath plot, how gladly told him Hollywood, it is nevertheless true. That one sometimes forgets because the staging of Simon Curtis is not only exciting, but also entertaining, is the most serious that can be accused of the film – and perhaps must, because the story of the stolen by the Nazis, extorted and looted artefacts is far from over. So, about the diamond necklace that bears Adele Bloch-Bauer in the portrait and gave her husband after her death his niece Maria to the wedding, passed into the possession of Emmy Goering, however, did not show up to date again.

The long struggle of the niece Maria Altmann

The niece, Maria Altmann, has together with her lawyer Randol Schoenberg, a grandson of the emigrant to the US composer Arnold Schoenberg, fought for the restitution of their property and finally – also related to Hollywood movie – won against the odds. This is known, and they are pleased about every partial victory, which the unlikely pair wins. The occupation of a ministerial decision-maker with Justus von Dohnányi, the need from time to time to play Nazis, alludes to an undeniable continuity: Because Mary and Randol antagonists, ministry of the 1990s, are descendants of the political establishment, which in immediately after the war again office and dignity has been used. Austria was not denazified, it was but when the Nazis conquered country

“The woman in gold” also tells of the desire of a grown old little girl. it admired his elegant, cosmopolitan and childless aunt, a salon in Vienna led the early 20th century, one in which intellectuals and artists, and went out. The film, however, is not apparent that 1943 Klimt exhibition in Vienna took place, in the most paintings came from expropriated property of the Jewish bourgeoisie. Or that the Austrian National Gallery, which owns many works were transferred, after the war with the survivors, recoveries tory owners entered negotiations. Thus paintings returned about in the 1980s in some cases – unless the owner agreed to Austria one or two to bequeath a “donation”. Thus, the exiled Jews were deprived of their property for a second time.

These and other scandalous facts revealed “Stealing Klimt” (2007), published a DVD documentary by Martin Smith and Jane Chablani that when supplement , history and commentary on “The Woman in Gold” award is. By the way: Klimt’s Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer depends since 2006 in the Neue Galerie in New York

In Berlin in Blue star Pankow, Capitol, Cinema Paris, Cinemaxx, FAF International, Kulturbrauerei. Titania Palast, Yorck; OV: Cinestar Sony Center, subtitles: Delphi, Hackesche Hofe, Passage