Image: GEORG HOCHMUTH (APA)
These pay 11.3 million dollars (approx. 10.6 million euros) to the republic, as announced by the Ministry of Culture. The money goes to a future permanent location for the House of Austrian History (hdgö).
Attempts to buy back the painting failed due to the current owners, who, according to the broadcast, did not want to enter into a dialogue. “Even though it hurts that there is no way to bring the painting ‘Apfelbaum II’ back to Austria, it is nevertheless gratifying that the long-standing and complicated history of the restitution of this painting has come to an end with the settlement now available. At the same time we are allowed we will never forget that this and other cases of return are based on the systematic exclusion, persecution and murder of countless people during National Socialism,” State Secretary for Culture Andrea Mayer (Greens) was quoted as saying. Alfred J. Noll, representative of the heirs, described it as “extremely gratifying” that “after tough negotiations” with the Finanzprokuratur agreement could now be reached.
The compensation payment is tied up as a reserve in the ministry’s budget. There is agreement with the Ministry of Finance that the money will be earmarked for a future, permanent solution for the location of the hdgö. “The House of History has needed a permanent and sustainable spatial solution for years,” says Mayer. This is currently being worked on, although there is no concrete plan yet, 10.6 million euros are “good start-up capital for such a challenge”, said the State Secretary.
In 2001, the Republic of Austria awarded the Klimt painting “Apple Tree II” to the heirs of the Austrian Nora Stiasny on the recommendation of the Art Restitution Advisory Board. Wrongly, as it turned out in the end. In a way, it was a matter of confusion with Klimt’s “Rosen unter Bäume” (Roses under Trees), which had been part of the Stiasny Collection. The French National Assembly followed this view last year, restituting “roses under trees”.
Source: Nachrichten