Bavarian State Painting Collections accused of concealing Nazi-looted art knowledge

The Bavarian State Painting Collections faces allegations of concealing information about nearly 200 works potentially looted from Jewish art dealer Alfred Flechtheim during the Nazi regime. A 2020 internal document obtained by Süddeutsche Zeitung reveals institutional awareness of problematic provenance, with heirs now demanding restitution of specific works including Max Beckmann's 1927 painting Chinese Fireworks. German Culture Minister Claudia Roth condemned the collection's lack of transparency, describing possible deliberate concealment as scandalous. Approximately 800 additional works require provenance investigation according to the leaked documents. Flechtheim's gallery inventory was systematically looted in 1933 through confiscation and 'aryanisation' processes. The institution allegedly withheld findings from both heirs and the public despite possessing this knowledge. Roth emphasized the importance of fair solutions for Nazi-looted art cases through statements to press agency dpa reported by Monopol.