Two watercolor paintings lost during the war – a self-portrait of Joseph Kalter and a portrait of his wife Amalia Kalter – return to the National Museum in Wrocław. Poland is systematically recovering works of art, although it is not easy, said Piotr Gliński, Deputy Prime Minister, the Head of the Ministry of Culture, National Heritage and Sport.
On Monday, at the office of the Ministry of Culture, National Heritage and Sport, the handing over of the recovered war losses was held. The event was attended, among others, by the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Culture, National Heritage and Sport Piotr Gliński, and Director of the National Museum in Wrocław, dr hab. Piotr Oszczanowski.
“As a result of warfare, and often systematic robbery by the occupiers, Poland lost 516,000 works of art during World War II. For many years, the Polish state has been recovering the stolen works of art. Our ministry has a special department that deals with this. These are the next two works of art recovered for Poland from pre-war collections in Wrocław,” said Deputy Prime Minister Gliński at the ceremony.
He explained that “in accordance with international law, those works of art that were in Poland after 1945 are war losses if they are lost”.