German Center Returns Crucifix to Heirs of Jewish Collector Ottmar Strauss

The artwork, possibly dating back to the 13th century, arrived as a package at the foundation's headquarters in Magdeburg at the end of August 2023. The request accompanying it urged the anonymous return of the crucifix to Ottmar Strauss's heirs.

A search in the Lost Art database revealed that the small piece had been listed as a missing item since 2006. The Center's staff contacted the law firm representing the heirs. It was quickly confirmed that the bronze crucifix received in Magdeburg matched the sought-after object – a bronze "Corpus Christi with Crown" that once belonged to the Cologne entrepreneur Ottmar Strauss.

Strauss owned a large collection of antiques and, especially, religious art from the Middle Ages. After the Nazis came to power, he, being Jewish, was persecuted. He had to leave the company Otto Wolff, which he co-founded, in May 1933 and emigrated in 1936. To finance his escape and compulsory payments like the "Reichsfluchtsteuer," he was forced to sell his art collection. In 1934/1935, it was auctioned in three sales at the Kunsthaus Hugo Helbing. The crucifix went under the hammer in the first auction under lot number 94, described in the auction catalog as follows: "Crucifix, Corpus with Crown, partly gilded, loincloth with enamel. Inset eyes, one missing. – Copper. H. 18 cm." It was sold for 350 Reichsmark, and its further whereabouts were unknown.

Ottmar Strauss passed away in 1941, and his descendants have been searching for the art objects for years. The Lost Art database lists over 2000 search entries under the collector's name. More than 50 objects have already been restituted. With the bronze crucifix, another of the sought-after pieces has now found its way to its rightful owners. Lawyer Imke Gielen received the "Corpus Christi with Crown" for Ottmar Strauss's heirs at the German Center for Cultural Property Losses in Magdeburg.

Main Image : Bronze Crucifx, photo Klaus-Dietmar Gabbert/dpa