Nazi Officer’s Daughter Indicted Over Stolen Art
In Argentina, prosecutors have charged Patricia Cadien, the daughter of a Nazi officer, for attempting to conceal an 18th-century Italian painting that was taken during World War II and has been unseen for roughly 80 years.
The indictment came shortly after Cadien, 59, reportedly turned over a “portrait of a woman” to the authorities. This painting, attributed to Italian artist Giuseppe Ghislandi, was valued at about $50,000 in 1710, according to insights from an art expert.
The work belonged to Jacques Goudstikker, a Dutch Jewish art collector, who died in a shipwreck while attempting to escape Amsterdam during the conflict. Goudstikker’s heirs have been trying to retrieve around 1,100 paintings that went missing after he was compelled to sell his collection to Hermann Göring, one of Hitler’s lieutenants.
Interestingly, Dutch journalists stumbled upon the painting while investigating Friedrich Cadien’s past in Argentina. They found it listed on an online real estate site, with the artwork displayed in Patricia Cadien’s living room. However, this listing was taken down soon after the story broke.
In response, law enforcement raided Patricia Cadien’s home in Mar del Plata and searched other associated properties belonging to her and her sister. While the painting was not located, authorities did seize several weapons and other art pieces suspected to be stolen during the war.
Patricia and her husband, Juan Carlos Cortegoso, were placed under house arrest. They surrendered the painting to the authorities, and after a court hearing, they were released from house arrest but have been restricted from leaving the country and must inform the court of any departures from their residence.
Questions remain about the future of the painting and how it ended up at Friedrich Cadien’s property in Argentina, where he lived until his death in 1978.
At a press conference, federal prosecutor Daniel Adler emphasized the importance of sharing the artwork with the community that helps recover such items, indicating a commitment to transparency in these proceedings.
Meanwhile, Goudstikker’s descendant, Marei von Saher, has reportedly filed claims regarding the painting through the FBI’s New York office.
