Fritz Kurt Lomnitz - »Besitzen Sie Gemälde,...?«

Survival in exile

Typewritten letter with pre‑printed letterhead, handwritten additions and stamp — Letter from the Berlin Wiedergutmachungsämter (Restitution Offices), 13 April 1972. BLHA, Rep. 36A (II) no. 24496, fol. 81 81

Fritz Kurt Lomnitz survived persecution through his early emigration, first to the United States and then to Cuba. “Völlig mittellos” (completely destitute) and with a “Mangel an Sprachkenntnissen” (lack of language skills), as he later described to the Wiedergutmachungsamt (RestitutionReturn of confiscated property to its rightful owners or their heirs. Office), it was in Cuba that he established a fruit‑trading business. From Havana, he submitted his application for “Rückerstattung” (restitutionReturn of confiscated property to its rightful owners or their heirs.) to the Berlin reparation office in 1950.

His villa at Lassenstraße 1a was now located in the British Sector of Berlin and was inhabited by his stepdaughter from his first marriage, who had acquired it from Lomnitz in 1940 under the National Socialist policy of “Arisierung(Aryanisation/Aryanised) The term “Arisierung” refers to the systematic expropriation of Jewish people. More” (Aryanisation(Aryanisation/Aryanised) The term “Arisierung” refers to the systematic expropriation of Jewish people. More). He had reached a settlement with her, meaning he did not receive compensation for the loss of the house. In the 1980s, the Berlin actor and entertainer Harald Juhnke purchased the building and lived there until shortly before his death. A few years ago, it was demolished; today, a new building stands on the site, bearing a Berlin memorial plaque for Harald Juhnke. There is no reference to the Lomnitz family, who lived there and were later driven out of the city.

Regarding the household furnishings, Lomnitz submitted a sworn declaration to the Wiedergutmachungsämter. In the document, he listed not only furnishings but also artworks. He estimated their total value at least 45,000 deutsche marks and firmly rejected the authority’s initial restitutionReturn of confiscated property to its rightful owners or their heirs. offer of 900 marks.

Fritz Kurt Lomnitz eventually received partial restitutionReturn of confiscated property to its rightful owners or their heirs. after years of negotiation.

The applicant hereby states that, according to the law as he knew it in imperial Germany and in the Germany of Ebert, reparation consists in restoring the condition that would exist if the harmful intervention had not occurred.
Anwalt von Fritz Kurt Lomnitz im WGA-Verfahren, 18. Juni 1953, Landesarchiv Berlin, B Rep. 025-05, Nr. 2128/50, Bl. 16R

The path of the Französischer Infanterist (French Infantryman)

Normally, it is difficult to identify buyers at an auction when only their surname is recorded in the documents. Like the reparation offices before them, provenanceIn the context of art history: origin of art and cultural assets. More researchers are therefore rarely successful in such cases. In the case of the painting Französischer Infanterist (French Infantryman), however, the name “Ohloff” could be assigned to a specific person. Information from the file of the Vermögensverwertungsstelle (Asset Realisation Office) made it possible to locate the painting, attributed to Anton von Werner, in the Berlinische Galerie.

Information from the file of the Vermögensverwertungsstelle (Asset Realisation Office) made it possible to locate the painting, attributed to Anton von Werner, in the Berlinische Galerie. Fortunately, the museum had published its own research findings on the work. Anton von Werner had created the small oil painting as a study for a larger history painting. After its creation, it remained in the artist’s estate. When Fritz Kurt Lomnitz acquired it remains unknown.

Colour photograph of an oil painting showing a man in a blue‑and‑red uniform against a sandy‑coloured background, his arms held as if in an embrace — Anton von Werner, Französischer Infanterist, 1882, oil on cardboard. Berlinische Galerie, Museum of Modern Art, BG‑M‑SG 6549/92

Reverse of a framed oil painting. Wood, several labels (partially damaged), and markings on the wood — Reverse of the oil painting Französischer Infanterist by Anton von Werner, 1882. Berlinische Galerie, Museum of Modern Art, BG‑M‑SG 6549/92

The museum published information on provenance marksPhysical indications (stamps, bookplates, stickers, signatures, etc.) on an object that make it possible to trace its acquisition and origin history. More found on the reverse of the painting, namely, remnants of a label with a name, an address, and a telephone number. While the name and address are largely scraped off, the telephone number remains legible.

By comparing the number with Berlin telephone directories from the 1970s onwards, the provenanceIn the context of art history: origin of art and cultural assets. More researcher at the Berlinische Galerie identified the visible fragments as the address of the Berlin art dealer Johanna Ohlhoff in 1940.

Extract from a telephone directory page, name in bold, two‑line address and contact details — Entry for Johanna Ohlhoff in the 1940 telephone directory. Amtliches Fernsprechbuch für den Bezirk der Reichspostdirektion Berlin, 1940 edition, p. 913

A section of a label on the back of a painting, partially scraped off — Label on the back of the oil painting Französischer Infanterist by Anton von Werner, 1882. Berlinische Galerie, Museum of Modern Art, BG‑M‑SG 6549/92

Extract from an address book page, showing the name “Kunsthandlung Johanna Ohlhoff” in a boxed entry with address and contact details — Entry for the art dealership Johanna Ohlhoff in the 1940 Berlin address book. Berliner Adressbuch 1940, Part II, p. 315

The findings from the Berlinische Galerie’s research and the files of the Vermögensverwertungsstelle could now be combined.

Johanna Ohlhoff had run her own art dealership since 1935 and appeared as a buyer at several auctions held by the Reich financial administration. At the auction of the property of Fritz Kurt Lomnitz, she purchased four artworks.

The Berlinische Galerie acquired the painting Französischer Infanterist from the estate of the sculptor Waldemar Grzimek, who died in West Berlin in 1984. No provenanceIn the context of art history: origin of art and cultural assets. More information was recorded at the time.

There is no further direct trace on the painting itself that links it to its former owner, Lomnitz. The museum therefore had no indication of who the original owner might have been.

Work identity

It is not known when or where Fritz Kurt Lomnitz acquired the painting. What is certain is that it was in his possession when it was confiscatedBy confiscating assets, government officials initially deprived owners of the authority to dispose of their bank accounts, household furnishings, securities, etc., which were placed under state administration. More and subsequently “verwertet“Verwertung” (liquidation) refers to all measures taken by the Reich financial administration to transfer stolen assets to the state treasury and, if necessary, convert material goods into cash. More” (liquidated). Since the buyer’s name “Ohloff” recorded in the auction minutes of Union on 6 May 1941 can be plausibly matched with the identified address label of Johanna Ohlhoff, the Berlinische Galerie did not question the work identityThe work identity is the unique attribution of an art object, which can be made on the basis of unique characteristics. More. The heirs of Fritz Kurt Lomnitz were therefore identified, and a fair and just solution was agreed with them: Thanks to the generosity of the heirs, the painting is to remain in Berlin.

The other artworks from the Lomnitz family’s property that could be identified at all have so far not been located – partly because identifying the buyers is impossible, and partly because the very limited object descriptions in the sources make it extremely difficult to clearly identify and search for the artworks.