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| Nazi trove in Munich contains unknown works by masters | Nazi trove in Munich contains unknown works by masters |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Previously unknown artworks by masters among nearly 1,400 pieces found in a trove of Nazi-looted art in Munich, German officials say. | Previously unknown artworks by masters among nearly 1,400 pieces found in a trove of Nazi-looted art in Munich, German officials say. |
| As slides of the paintings were shown at a news conference, an expert said the works had been seized from private individuals or institutions. | As slides of the paintings were shown at a news conference, an expert said the works had been seized from private individuals or institutions. |
| They include works by Renoir, Picasso, Chagall and Toulouse-Lautrec. | They include works by Renoir, Picasso, Chagall and Toulouse-Lautrec. |
| Prosecutors said the issue of ownership was still being clarified over the works, which were found last year. | Prosecutors said the issue of ownership was still being clarified over the works, which were found last year. |
| The total value has been estimated at about 1bn euros (£846m; $1.35bn). | The total value has been estimated at about 1bn euros (£846m; $1.35bn). |
| Reinhard Nemetz, head of the prosecutors' office in Augsburg, said that 121 framed and 1,258 unframed works had been seized in the flat of Cornelius Gurlitt in Munich. | Reinhard Nemetz, head of the prosecutors' office in Augsburg, said that 121 framed and 1,258 unframed works had been seized in the flat of Cornelius Gurlitt in Munich. |
| It was not yet clear if any offence had been committed, he added, stressing that the legal position was extremely complex. | It was not yet clear if any offence had been committed, he added, stressing that the legal position was extremely complex. |
| Art expert Meike Hoffmann said some of the works were dirty but they had not been damaged. | Art expert Meike Hoffmann said some of the works were dirty but they had not been damaged. |
| 'Extraordinarily good' | 'Extraordinarily good' |
| Previously unregistered works by Marc Chagall, Otto Dix, Max Liebermann and Henri Matisse were found. | |
| "When you stand before the works and see again these long-lost, missing works, that were believed destroyed, seeing them in quite good condition, it's an extraordinarily good feeling," Ms Hoffmann said. | "When you stand before the works and see again these long-lost, missing works, that were believed destroyed, seeing them in quite good condition, it's an extraordinarily good feeling," Ms Hoffmann said. |
| "The pictures are of exceptional quality, and have very special value for art experts. Many works were unknown until now." | "The pictures are of exceptional quality, and have very special value for art experts. Many works were unknown until now." |
| The paintings were found in March of last year after Mr Gurlitt was investigated for tax evasion. | The paintings were found in March of last year after Mr Gurlitt was investigated for tax evasion. |
| They had reportedly been kept in darkened rooms, surrounded by clutter. | They had reportedly been kept in darkened rooms, surrounded by clutter. |
| According to a report by Germany's Focus magazine, Mr Gurlitt, the reclusive son of an art dealer in Munich, would occasionally sell a picture when he needed money. | According to a report by Germany's Focus magazine, Mr Gurlitt, the reclusive son of an art dealer in Munich, would occasionally sell a picture when he needed money. |
| "We don't have any strong suspicion of a crime that would justify an arrest," said Mr Nemetz, adding that the current whereabouts of Mr Gurlitt were unknown. | |
| Mr Gurlitt's father Hildebrand collected early 20th Century art regarded by the Nazis as un-German or "degenerate", and removed from show in state museums. | |
| He was recruited by the Nazis to sell the "degenerate art" abroad but also bought privately. | |
| After the war he told investigators that his collection had been destroyed during the Allied bombing of Dresden in 1945. He also said he had been persecuted himself for having a Jewish grandmother. | |
| Resuming his work as a dealer, he died in a car crash in 1956. |