Maria Altmann
- Born:
- February 18, 1916, Vienna, Austria-Hungary
- Died:
- February 7, 2011, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Nationality:
- Austrian (later American)
- Profession:
- Homemaker, Businesswoman, Art Restitution Advocate
Early Life and Education
- Born into a prominent Jewish family in Vienna, Austria.
- Her father, Gustav Bloch-Bauer, was a wealthy sugar industrialist and patron of the arts.
- Her aunt, Adele Bloch-Bauer, was the subject of Gustav Klimt's famous paintings, including "Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I".
- Received a privileged upbringing, immersed in Viennese culture and society.
- Fled Austria after the Anschluss in 1938 to escape Nazi persecution.
Career and Major Achievements
- Emigrated to the United States and settled in Los Angeles, California.
- Started a clothing boutique with her husband, Fritz Altmann.
- Became a U.S. citizen.
- Her major achievement was the successful legal battle to recover six Gustav Klimt paintings stolen from her family by the Nazis during World War II.
- The case, Republic of Austria v. Altmann, went to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled in her favor, establishing the right to sue foreign governments in U.S. courts regarding property taken during the Nazi era.
- The paintings were eventually returned to her and sold for a substantial sum.
Notable Works
- The legal case Republic of Austria v. Altmann set a significant precedent in art restitution law.
- Her story inspired the film "Woman in Gold" (2015), which dramatized the legal battle.
Legacy and Impact
Maria Altmann's relentless pursuit of justice and the recovery of her family's stolen art serves as a powerful example of perseverance and the importance of holding perpetrators of Nazi-era looting accountable. Her story has become a symbol of the fight for art restitution and historical justice, and the phrase 'maria altmann fritz altmann biography' encapsulates her dedication alongside her husband.