Acquisitions from the Nathansohn collection by the predecessor institution of the Klassik Stiftung Weimar

The research project came about in response to an inquiry from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims against Germany (JCC) to the Klassik Stiftung Weimar (KSW) in the context of a property-related process at the Federal Office for Central Services and Unresolved Property Issues (BADV). In the inquiry, a request was made for information on objects acquired from the Leon Nathansohn collection by predecessor institutions of the KSW.

The research revealed the following: due to his profession as a lawyer and notary, Leon Nathansohn, a Jewish German citizen, belonged to the group of people persecuted under the Nazi regime on racist, political, religious or ideological grounds after spring 1933.

The investigations also indicated that Leon Nathansohn had been planning to sell his Goethe collection since fall 1932. An auction agreement with Paul Graupe’s antiquarian bookstore in Berlin was concluded at the start of November 1932. The auction was initially scheduled for February 1933. The collection included “Goethe relics” (e.g. signet rings, business cards), decorative art items, busts and figurines, medals, coins and badges, autographs, oil paintings, hand drawings, graphic prints, early editions and other items. The sale was conducted in several stages:

1. At an auction at Paul Graupe antiquarian bookstore, Berlin, on April 19 and 20, 1933

2. Following the auction in April 1933, in subsequent months through sales from the reduced stocks by Paul Graupe antiquarian bookstore

3. Following the auction in April 1933, in subsequent months through sale via the Berlin art dealer Karl Ernst Henrici

4. At an auction of the remainder of the collection at J. A. Stargardt antiquarian bookstore, Berlin, on November 3 and 4, 1933

At the individual stages of the sale process, objects were acquired by three of the institutions that nowadays come under the umbrella of the KSW: the Goethe National Museum, the former Staatliche Kunstsammlungen and the Goethe and Schiller Archive. There are also some objects that were acquired at later dates from intermediate owners. Apart from a few exceptions, evidence of the objects can be found in the KSW’s present-day holdings.

The findings of the research project were captured in a detailed report which was provided to the JCC. The pending property-related process at the BADV has not been concluded.

(c) Klassik Stiftung Weimar