Multi-billion-dollar lawsuits against Russia, Hungary and Germany were filed in Manhattan Federal Court Wednesday seeking compensation or the return of artwork looted by the Nazis and kept by those countries.
Joram Deutsch, a spokesman for the plaintiffs, said the artwork has been “documented as being stolen from Holocaust victims” and that the three countries have “taken the position that they can retain the paintings or delay their return, regardless of their origin.”
“These paintings belong to us and other Holocaust victims, and they should be returned to their rightful owners,” Deutsch said.
Their attorney, Edward Fagan, who brought the first suit against Swiss banks for hoarding the bank accounts of Jewish Nazi victims, said similar suits are planned against other countries.
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