"Special Nazi law covered the seizure of Jewish and enemy property." - CIR 4 Chapter IX Conclusions and Recommendations

 "Special Nazi law covered the seizure of Jewish and enemy property."

Excerpt from Art Looting Investigation Unit Consolidated Interrogation Report Number 4: Linz

CIR 4

CHAPTER IX - CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

HITLER took extraordinary precautions to clothe all Linz transactions in the appearance of legality. The forms of purchase were regular enough; the Linz Commission paid its bills. Special Nazi law covered the seizure of Jewish and enemy property. HITLER shied away from helping himself to the contents of public art collections. If he had won the war, he might have become less squeamish. One can only guess.

Nevertheless the Sonderauftrag Linz had first claim upon all works of art looted by Germans.

Both actually and potentially it was the major recipient of works of art confiscated or acquired by forced sale. Attachments 6, 7 and 8 establish its high authority. Its claim to anything looted by the SS is announced in Attachment 17, which also names the experts who are to carry out the Führer's right of disposition. Similar directives were issued to the governors of all occupied territories and of all the provinces of Germany (Attachments 15 and 15-A). The claims of Linz were also extended beyond confiscated (beschlagnamt) works of art to those merely safeguarded (sichergestellt). (See Attachment 3.)

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Report Typepe: 

Consolidated Interrogation Reports (CIR)

Report Number: 

4

Report Name: 

Linz: Hitler's Museum And Library

Conflict Period: 

World War II

WWII OSS Art Looting Investigation Reports

Publication Title: 

OSS Art Looting Investigation Unit Reports, 1945-46

Content Source:

The National Archives

Publication Number: 

M1782

Content Source: 

NARA

Content Partner: 

NARA

Source Publication Year: 

2001

Language: 

English, German

Country: 

Germany, United States

Footnote Job: 

09-017

Footnote Publication Year: 

2009

Record Group: 

RG 239

Roll: 

M1782_10F1