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Artwork stolen by Nazis returned after 86 years
A woman in Wayzata recovered her family's artwork after it was stolen by Nazis 86 years ago.
WAYZATA, Minn. (FOX 9) - A Wayzata woman is now the rightful owner of artwork that was taken from her relatives by the Nazi regime nearly a century ago.
Artwork stolen by Nazis recovered
Big picture view:
An 1847 watercolor painting of a soldier that was owned by the great aunt and uncle of Jackie Sondell was taken by Nazis in Vienna, Austria.
The couple was imprisoned and forced to sell treasured possessions to survive and escape.
The painting was personally returned by the Austrian deputy consul general, who flew in from New York.
Jackie says her mother is now 105 years old and looks forward to seeing the painting.
The reunification was part of the "Austria Art Restitution Act, which is meant to ensure items that were taken by the Nazi regime are returned to the rightful owners.
What they're saying:
"I lost three grandparents in the Holocaust, so you can imagine, this is really hitting me," Sondell said.
Austrian Deputy Consul General Johannes Gassner spoke about the significance of the reunionification.
"It is very meaningful," Gassner said. "It’s not every day we get to do this. It’s the first time I get to do this, which makes it more meaningful for me personally, but the bigger picture is that Austria is taking responsibility for crimes and responsibilities. I don’t do it for myself. I do it for a greater good."
The Source: This story uses information gathered by FOX 9 staff who viewed the stolen art and spoke to the Austrian deputy consul general and Jackie Sondell.