An Argentine court has ordered the house arrest of the daughter of Nazi leader Friedrich Kadgier and her husband following their alleged attempts to conceal the location of a World War II-era looted painting. The couple's detention comes after authorities conducted unsuccessful raids at multiple properties in search of the missing artwork, "Portrait of a Lady" by Italian painter Giuseppe Ghislandi.
The 17th-century oil painting was originally part of the extensive art collection owned by Jacques Goudstikker, a prominent Amsterdam art dealer. During World War II, the valuable artwork fell into the hands of Nazi official Friedrich Kadgier as part of the systematic looting of Jewish-owned cultural treasures. Following Kadgier's death, the painting is believed to have remained within his family and eventually came into the possession of one of his daughters who later relocated to Argentina.
The case gained international attention last month when Dutch journalists discovered the painting listed among the contents of the daughter's Argentine residence. However, when local authorities arrived to execute a search warrant at the property, the artwork had mysteriously disappeared. This development prompted the court to take more aggressive action against the family members suspected of hiding the painting's whereabouts.
According to sources within the court who spoke to Argentine news agency LA NACION, Kadgier's daughter and her husband are actively disputing the ownership claims made by the Goudstikker family heirs. The couple maintains that they are the legitimate owners of the painting, arguing that it has been in their family's possession for decades and that any legal claims against them should be barred by the statute of limitations. Despite these assertions, they have refused to disclose the current location of the artwork to authorities.
In a strategic legal move, the couple has proposed placing the painting in the custody of the court system while ownership disputes are resolved through proper legal channels. However, their refusal to reveal where the painting is currently being held has complicated this proposal and contributed to the court's decision to place them under house arrest.
The federal court imposed a 72-hour house arrest order on Monday and simultaneously authorized law enforcement to conduct searches at four separate locations. These included a second search of the daughter's primary residence as well as raids on three additional properties belonging to Kadgier's immediate family members. The coordinated operation represented a significant escalation in the authorities' efforts to locate the missing masterpiece.
Despite the extensive search efforts, law enforcement officials were unable to locate the painting at any of the targeted properties. However, according to LA NACION, police did seize other evidence during the raids that investigators believe will help advance their ongoing investigation into the painting's disappearance and the family's role in concealing it.
This case highlights the ongoing international efforts to recover artwork stolen by Nazi forces during World War II, with many pieces still missing or held by families who acquired them through wartime looting. The recovery of such cultural treasures remains a priority for both government authorities and the descendants of their original owners, who continue to seek justice decades after the war's end.
