Documentation of Persecuted Jewish Collectors

The goal of the project “Documentation of Persecuted Jewish Collectors” is to contribute to a broader understanding of the significant cultural contribution of pre-war Jewish collectors to European cultural heritage. Each name listed exemplifies the collector’s passion at the time – whether from fine arts to books, from Judaica to musical instruments and beyond – but also his or her story of robbery and loss, of persecution and often death, and post-war attempts to recover what was stolen.

In March 2023, the JDCRP published a first initial list of approximately 2,000 names of collectors from various European countries. As of April 2025, there is an updated snapshot into our research that provides initial data on over 3,600 persecuted Jewish collectors. This updated list covers 18 European countries: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Serbia and Slovakia.

In addition, we are presenting three case studies, see links at the bottom of the page, of persecuted Jewish collectors coming from Austria, Germany and Estonia. Each story is not only unique but aims to offer a glance into the many characteristics of the Nazis all-encompassing and seemingly inescapable looting of cultural and religious property.

More research remains necessary, not only to expand the list of Jewish collectors from the countries already covered, but also to include persecuted Jewish collectors from countries that have yet to be researched altogether, such as Romania, Moldova, and Belarus.

JDCRP is developing this initial list further to transform it further into a powerful research tool. The subsequent detail-oriented version of the list will include information to the greatest extent possible on collectors’ lives, their family and business connections, the types of their collections, and their persecution histories. Sources will be meticulously listed to provide easily accessible additional information. As of April 2025, we have detailed information on over 1,700 persecuted Jewish collectors for 15 countries. 

Suggestions and corrections regarding specific entries, as well as additional information about persecuted Jewish collectors not yet listed, may be sent to info@jdcrp.org. In addition, we strive upon request, to provide additional information when available on persecuted Jewish collectors in response to inquiries by heirs, researchers or other interested parties. These inquiries should also be sent to info@jdcrp.org.  

Research on the Austrian and Czech names of persecuted Jewish collectors was substantively assisted by The Documentation Center for Property Transfers of the Cultural Assets of WWII Victims (CDMP) and the Commission for Provenance Research at the Austrian Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Civil Service and Sport.

Support by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) for research and development of the list is gratefully acknowledged, as is additional support by the German Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM).

* * *

* * *

last updated April 2025

Photo Courtesy: (1) Gebrüder Kohn, courtesy Marilyn Rauch (2) Albert Einstein during a lecture in Vienna in 1921. Photograph by Ferdinand Schmutzer (1921), public domain (3) Collection Julius Genss, courtesy Julia Gens