Nazi-looted painting found in home of Dutch SS collaborator's descendants
A painting by Dutch artist Toon Kelder, which was taken by the Nazis from the Goudstikker collection, has been found in the residence of descendants of Hendrik Seyffardt, a general in the Waffen-SS. This family, who altered their surname post-WWII, turned the artwork over to art detective Arthur Brand. This incident underscores the persistent challenges of restitution in the Netherlands, where Jewish properties still reside in Dutch households due to issues of silence, shame, and legal obstacles. Since 2020, a policy emphasizing 'humanity and goodwill' has been implemented for national collections, yet many items remain unreturned. Emile Schrijver from the Jewish Cultural Quarter points out that even small artifacts hold significant meaning, while legal expert Gert-Jan van den Bergh notes an increase in moral responsibility. The National Holocaust Memorial of Names was inaugurated in Amsterdam in 2024.
Key facts
- Portrait of a Young Girl by Toon Kelder was stolen from the Goudstikker collection by the Nazis.
- The painting was found in the home of descendants of Hendrik Seyffardt, a Dutch Waffen-SS general.
- The family handed the painting to art detective Arthur Brand in May 2026.
- The current owner inherited the artwork and was unaware the Goudstikker heirs wanted it back.
- Three-quarters of Dutch Jews were murdered by the Nazis during WWII.
- Since 2020, Dutch national collections apply a 'humanity and goodwill' approach to restitution.
- The Jewish Cultural Quarter in Amsterdam opened a Holocaust Museum in 2024.
- An archive of 425,000 dossiers on post-1945 investigations remains not fully open.
Entities
Artists
- Toon Kelder
- Jacques Goudstikker
Institutions
- Goudstikker collection
- De Telegraaf
- Jewish Cultural Quarter
- Holocaust Museum
- ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre
- Bergh Stoop & Sanders
- Rijksmuseum
- Christie's
Locations
- Netherlands
- Utrecht
- The Hague
- Amsterdam
- New York