Between return…
Recha Strock's niece and nephew attempted to report at least the loss of the household furnishings to the post‑war authorities.
As no trace of their aunt – who had been deported to the AuschwitzAuschwitz is the name of the largest and best‑known National Socialist concentration and extermination camp. More extermination campAuschwitz is the name of the largest and best‑known National Socialist concentration and extermination camp. More – could be found, the Berlin district court determined 30 April 1944 as her date of death.
What followed were proceedings that lasted more than five years. The descendants found themselves confronted with a German authority for whom the loss of their close family members played virtually no role.
All my many inquiries about Mrs Storck have so far unfortunately been in vain
Hanna Lutze, former housekeeper of Recha Storck, to her niece Mathilde Scheurembrandt, née Stiller, 20 June 1946. Landesarchiv Berlin, B Rep. 025-03 No. 883/5, fol. 104
Letter from the furniture dealer Ernst Kunst to Walter Conrad, 2 December 1943. LAB, B Rep. 025‑03 no. 883/50, fol. 12
However, the procedure concerning the stolen household furnishings yielded important insights for provenance researchProvenance research (from Latin provenire: to come from) investigates the origin of objects, their changes of ownership, and the paths they have taken.:
The “Bombengeschädigter” (bombing victim) Walter Conrad acquired most of the high‑quality furnishings belonging to Recha Storck. Through the furniture store Ernst Kunst, which had been commissioned by the Hauptwirtschaftsamt(Main Economic Office, Berlin) From the end of 1942, it had privileged access to the expropriated property of deported Berlin Jews. More (Main Economic Office(Main Economic Office, Berlin) From the end of 1942, it had privileged access to the expropriated property of deported Berlin Jews. More) to sell household furnishings to bombing victims, he purchased the items for 16,751 reichsmarks.
In the files of the Wiedergutmachungsämter (RestitutionReturn of confiscated property to its rightful owners or their heirs. Offices) are letters, witness statements, and sworn declarations from those involved, as well as neighbours and acquaintances. They paint an ambivalent picture of Walter Conrad’s role in the purchase of the furniture. According to his own account, Conrad had acquired the furnishings in consultation with the owner of the Villa Storck at that time, a nephew of Adolf Eduard Storck, holding them in trust for Recha Storck – for her possible return. The nephew confirmed that he had been in contact with Conrad, but denied that Conrad had acted on his behalf.
The central piece of evidence in the proceedings was the file of the Vermögensverwertungsstelle (Asset Realisation Office) and the Inventar und Bewertung (inventory and valuation) form it contained. However, the limited information on this valuation list made it difficult to match the items with those still in Walter Conrad’s possession in 1950.
During an on‑site inspection in 1954 at the Villa Storck, staff of the Berlin Wiedergutmachungsämter documented those items that could be clearly attributed to the property of Recha Storck. These included oil paintings by Adolf Eduard Storck.
In April 1955, the Wiedergutmachungskammer (RestitutionReturn of confiscated property to its rightful owners or their heirs. Chamber) at the Berlin regional court ruled that Walter Conrad had to return the remaining furnishings belonging to Recha Storck to her descendants.
…and loss
However, not all items could be returned:
Among other things, a Blüthner grand piano and a library containing around 300 books remained unaccounted for. These objects were not part of the group purchased by Walter Conrad but had been “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) elsewhere.
Whether they are still held by private individuals or public institutions could not be determined on the basis of the available documents. The descendants received compensation for these lost objects.
