Restitution to descendants of Siegmund Levi

Mainz State Museum and the municipal authorities of Mainz have returned two works of art to the descendants of the original owner Siegmund Levi, a Jewish art collector who was from Mainz. Under pressure from the National Socialists, Levi was forced to hand over his works before being murdered at Theresienstadt concentration camp.

Since 2019, through a provenance research project funded by the German Lost Art Foundation, Mainz State Museum has been conducting research into the provenance of all objects in its collection acquired between 1933 and 1945. The two works that have now been returned are an anonymous 18th century painting showing a view of the city of Mainz on the right bank of the Rhine and a hand drawing of Mainz Cathedral by the artist Jan de Beyer dated 1753. “Our research enabled us to identify two works of art that belong to the Siegmund Levi Collection. Both paintings have now been formally presented to the heirs of former Mainz Judicial Councillor Siegmund Levi. They will remain on display at the State Museum until the end of the current exhibition, however” said Dr. Birgit Heide, Director of Mainz State Museum.

Dr. Siegmund Levi was born in Mainz in 1864. He was a successful lawyer and interested art collector who, as a Jew, suffered persecution by the National Socialists from 1933 onwards. In 1938, he was forced to give up his licence to practise law and sell his parents’ house, along with most of his art collection and library. Levi moved to Frankfurt in 1938, where he lived until his deportation on 18 August 1942. He died at Theresienstadt concentration camp on 2 February 1943. His biography is part of the current special exhibition Herkunft [un]geklärt. Die Erwerbungen des Altertumsmuseums und der Gemäldegalerie der Stadt Mainz 1933-1945 [Origin [not]clarified. The Acquisitions of the Museum of Classical Antiquities and Mainz Municipal Art Gallery 1933-1945], which is showing at Mainz State Museum until 15 September 2024.

To the project