Not really a "Triviality" - but worth for the "Trivia"-Series...
In one of Jewish writer Ephraim Kishon's (1924-2005) truely entertaining books there is a game called "Jewish Poker". It's played without cards. Only in your head. It goes like this: "Who can name the bigger number"? Simply, think of a number - any number - take your time - and tell it to me. I am thinking of a number too - and I will respond to your choice with my number...
If mine is higher - I have won...
Another game of poker just commences in Vienna - and the game isn't over yet.
There are those five pictures painted by famous Art-Nuveau painter Gustav Klimt (1862-1918, most famous work: "The Kiss"). Those masterpieces (I am sure you know them) were seized in Vienna by Germans in 1938 in the course of the "Anschluss" from Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer, a wealthy Jewish magnate and Maria Altmann's uncle.
After seven years of legal and diplomatic maneuvering over the ownership of the pictures, Mrs. Altmann has won her battle to recover paintings "valued at Mill.200$" from the Austrian government. Austria's officials said that it would honor an arbitration court decision and give the five prized paintings to the Los Angeles woman - who says "the Nazis stole them from her Jewish family".
Altmann (90), now residing in Los Angeles greeted the decision as "fabulous"...
The most famous of the artworks is a gold-flecked portrait of Altmann's aunt, named Adele Bloch-Bauer 1, at the time being displayed at the Austrian National Gallery in Vienna.
E. Randol Schoenberg, Altmann's attorney, said that most likely this portrait together with a second portrait, would remain at the Austrian gallery, after the payment of compensation.
A decisive break in the proceedings came in June 2004, when the U.S. Supreme Court did rule that Austria could be sued in a U.S. court, despite opposition of the Austrian and American governments.
The Supreme Court decision helped Austria "to finally see the light" and agree to arbitration, Schoenberg said.
Schoenberg is representing four clients - Maria Altmann, Francis Gutmann, Trevor and George Bentley - but not the fifth - Nelly Auersperg from Canada, represented by lawyer William S. Berardino.
Although the five paintings were initially estimated to be worth Mill.150$ - as written in the first court papers in 2000 - the price has been doubled during the years - to a colported Mil. 300$ - a sum Austrian Government should pay for buying "back" those pieces of "national heritage".
Usually, Klimt's pictures did achieve at various auctions from Mill.5-30$s.
My advice: If you want to sell/buy - get them there - and air the biddings live on TV...
Far Sight 3
Serving Freedom
and Liberty
