The Gutnajers in Poland

I am inventorying the papers so that the appraiser can appraise them and they can move on to new homes. We are applying for a permit now and should hear in about two weeks! So work will begin, and all the papers and drawings will need to move on to new homes.

As part of that appraisal I am counting sheets of paper, which gave me a chance to finally count and gather the many sheets of paper that make up the documentation of Gutnayer's decades-long fight to recover art stolen from his family by the Nazis, and, in particular, an evil opportunistic Dutchman named Pieter Menten. Menten joined the SS in 1941 for what would appear to be the dual purpose of killing Jews and stealing their art.  You can read the brief (and incomplete, especially as it pertains to his art collection) Wikipedia entry on Menten here.

Photo: Berhard top left, and Abe bottom (?)
Map: Rough locations of their galleries on a current Google Map image
addresses from survivor accounts and Wikipedia

Bernhard and Abe Gutnajer were significant art and antique dealers in Warsaw. From what I can decipher from Wikipedia and the documentation in the house, Bernhard and Abe were both killed in 1942: Abel was murdered in his apartment on July 21, the day before a major 'deportation'. I will have to go back and confirm this date but I think Bernard was likely killed at the same time. They both had antique shops in the city, not far from each other. Abel exhibited and important Polish art at the time. One of the paintings stolen from him in 1942 recently came up for auction.

 

Gutnayer on the right, with his parents, brothers, and two unidentified children.

 

Gutnayer tells an amazing story in his affadavits regarding the restitution of some of his father's collection. He joined the Polish Resistance and, posing as an art dealer, went to Menten's home to review his collection. He described seeing portraits of his grandparents in Menten's home, as well as other pieces from his father's personal collection. He declined to purchase anything from Menten. Menten trip through the justice system is disheartening--he spent a short time in prison in 1949 and Holland would not extradite him to Poland to stand trial. From 1950 to 1976, Menten lived the life of a successful art collector and businessman. His trial was reopened in 1976 and he was convicted for only a portion of his real crimes.