German prosecutors formally release art trove kept at Munich apartment by reclusive collector
BERLIN – German prosecutors say they have released more than 1,000 artworks found at the Munich apartment of a reclusive collector, shortly after he agreed to co-operate with determining which pieces were seized by the Nazis.
Officials seized some 1,400 items, including 1,280 artworks, from Cornelius Gurlitt’s apartment in 2012 while investigating a tax case. Gurlitt appealed the seizure.
Augsburg prosecutor Matthias Nickolai said in a statement Wednesday that the decision was made after prosecutors re-evaluated the legal situation. However, they didn’t close the tax case against Gurlitt, the son of a Nazi-era art dealer.
On Monday, Gurlitt agreed to co-operate with the German government in researching the works’ past. Authorities said works whose Nazi-era history is being checked will remain in custody.
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