Nazi officer's daughter charged for hiding stolen WWII artwork
- Patricia Kadgien was charged after police found a stolen painting linked to her father.
- The painting, missing for decades, was discovered in her home and later surrendered to authorities.
- The case highlights ongoing issues related to the recovery of art stolen during WWII.
In Argentina, Argentine prosecutors have charged Patricia Kadgien, the daughter of a fugitive Nazi officer, for allegedly attempting to conceal an 18th-century Italian painting that was looted during World War II. This painting, known as 'Portrait of a Lady' and attributed to Italian artist Giuseppe Ghislandi, had been missing for 80 years, and its recent appearance in an online real estate listing led to its discovery. Kadgien's father, Friedrich Kadgien, reportedly stole the artwork from a prominent European art dealer during the war. The painting was first found through an investigation by Dutch journalists who uncovered the artwork displayed in Kadgien's living room. Following the publication of their findings in a Dutch news outlet, the real estate listing was taken down. This incident triggered police raids on Patricia Kadgien's residence and properties associated with her and her sister Alicia, during which authorities failed to locate the artwork but seized various other stolen items, including firearms and engravings. The couple, including Patricia and her husband Juan Carlos Cortegoso, were placed under house arrest shortly after. After the police raids, the couple handed over 'Portrait of a Lady' to authorities. In a subsequent court hearing, they were released from house arrest but are prohibited from leaving the country and must report any travels to the court. The heirs of the original owner of the painting, Dutch-Jewish art collector Jacques Goudstikke, have initiated legal claims to recover the artwork, which they assert was taken unlawfully during the conflict. Jacques Goudstikke lost his life during the war while attempting to escape Amsterdam. His descendants are involved in the challenging and lengthy process of reclaiming nearly 1,100 missing paintings from his once-extensive collection that fell into the hands of Hermann Göring, a key figure in the Nazi regime. The quest for restitution of stolen artworks remains a contentious issue in post-war contexts, exemplified by this particular case, which sheds light on the continued struggles faced by the heirs of those who lost their treasures during the Holocaust.