Museum inherits $1.3 billion Nazi-stolen artwork

Cornelius Gurlitt, the son of Adolf Hitler's art dealer, left his entire $1.3 billion art collection to the Bern Art museum.

Gurlitt, who had no close relatives, named the museum his ‘unrestricted and unfettered sole heir.’ After his death on Tuesday, his inherited collection of Nazi-stolen artwork was given to the museum.

Since the museum had no direct relationships with Hitler’s art dealer son, the news came to them as ‘a bolt from the blue.’

Because the institution operates under rigid international codes of ethics regarding stolen artworks, the museum now has to tackle the time-consuming task of finding all the present-day heirs of the victims looted by Nazis and restore them the paintings and other art items.

What will remain after this operation is finalized, may stay with the museum.