Nazi-Looted Painting Found in Home of Dutch SS Collaborator's Descendants

The discovery marks another chapter in the long saga of Nazi-looted art repatriation. "Ich habe schon zuvor von den Nazis im Zweiten Weltkrieg geraubte Kunst entdeckt, darunter auch Stücke im Louvre, in der niederländischen königlichen Sammlung und in vielen Museen," Brand noted, referencing his prior recoveries from major institutions.

A Dark Family Legacy

Hendrik Seyffardt, a Dutch general who collaborated with the Waffen-SS, received a Nazi state funeral in The Hague after resistance fighters assassinated him in 1943 — complete with a wreath from Adolf Hitler. His descendants kept the Kelder painting through generations, unaware or unwilling to acknowledge its origins.

According to Brand, Seyffardt's granddaughter told a confidant: "Es wurde Goudstikker geraubt, es ist unverkäuflich, erzähl' niemandem davon" ("It was stolen from Goudstikker, it's unsellable, don't tell anyone"). The family later claimed ignorance about the work's provenance.

Speaking to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, the current holder expressed shame: "Ich schäme mich. Das Gemälde sollte den Erben Goudstikkers zurückgegeben werden." The grandmother added, "Ich habe es von meiner Mutter bekommen," but now understands why Goudstikker's heirs want it returned.

Brand emphasized the historical irony: "Aber ein Gemälde aus der berühmten Goudstikker-Sammlung im Besitz von Nachkommen eines berüchtigten niederländischen Generals der Waffen-SS zu finden, das übertrifft wirklich alles." The case underscores how looted art often remained hidden in plain sight.