Gothamist recently reported about the event at the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, where two drawings by artist Egon Schiele were handed back to Fritz Grünbaum’s family. Grünbaum, a Jewish cabaret performer, lost the sketches, “Girl with Black Hair” and “Portrait of a Man,” to Nazis who illegally trafficked them through New York.

Photo from NY1

Grünbaum’s Brave Story

Before World War II, Fritz Grünbaum was a well-known figure in Austria for his comedy and radio work. He bravely made fun of the Nazis in his performances and even inspired a character in the musical “Cabaret.”

Even in the tough times at Dachau, Grünbaum continued to boost the spirits of fellow prisoners with shows and jokes, right up to two weeks before he tragically passed away in 1941.

While he was locked up, the Nazis made Grünbaum sign away his art, including 80 pieces by Egon Schiele, to his wife Elisabeth. The Nazis sold these artworks later to fund their war efforts.

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Undoing the Wrongs: Grünbaum’s Art Returns

In 1941, Elisabeth Grünbaum sadly declared there was nothing left of her husband’s art. She, too, lost her life in a death camp the following year.

Decades later, the Manhattan DA, with the help of attorney Raymond Dowd, successfully returned two Schiele drawings to Grünbaum’s family, marking a significant step in righting historical wrongs.

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