MONTREAL/March 18, 2005—
Concordia University - acting on behalf of the executors and the three university beneficiaries (Concordia, McGill and Hebrew University) of the estate of prominent Montreal art dealer and collector, Dr. Max Stern - has committed to seeking restitution of the art holdings that were either confiscated from him by the Nazis or sold by force in the 1930s. The official announcement will be made on Saturday, March 19, at the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach, Florida - a museum beneficiary of the Stern Estate.
“It is fitting that we announce this at the Norton, because this museum was highly regarded by Dr. Stern. The Norton’s sensitive decision to earmark Stern funds for their own collection’s research further adds to our larger message about the importance of establishing ownership history” said Dr. Frederick Lowy, President and Vice-Chancellor of Concordia.
250 works of art once owned by Stern have already been identified since Concordia launched this effort. As the art works are reclaimed, the Estate executors plan to loan them to select museums and galleries for prescribed periods. “Max Stern’s primary beneficiaries were charitable educational and art institutions in North America and Israel. He would have wanted our communities to share in his life passion”, added Dr. Lowy.
The University is working closely with the Art Loss Register in London, the Commission for Looted Art in Europe and the New York State Holocaust Claims Processing Office. Thus far, works have been located in the United States, England, Holland and Germany.
The University is emerging as one of the institutional specialists in Canada regarding cultural property and believes it has an obligation to pursue restitution, as Max Stern himself did after World War II. The executors and beneficiaries hope to avoid using the courts and instead use moral suasion to convince others to do what is right.
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Source :
Tanya Churchmuch
Senior Media Relations Advisor
Concordia University
