New Laws Spark Legal Battle Over Nazi-Looted Art in LA and Auschwitz Museums

New laws enable Jewish families to sue for return of Nazi-looted art in Los Angeles and Auschwitz museums. Legal battle intensifies as claims are filed again...

Editorial Desk

September 19, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — Los Angeles, United States — New legislation has triggered a legal battle over the return of Nazi-looted art displayed in Los Angeles museums and the Auschwitz Memorial. Jewish heirs have filed lawsuits seeking the return of artworks that were taken from their families during World War II.

The first lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles against the Norton Simon Museum for the return of two oil paintings, ‘Adam and Eve,’ created by Lucas Cranach the Elder in 1530. The second lawsuit, filed in federal court, seeks the return of watercolors painted by Holocaust survivor Dinah Gottliebova Babbitt while she was held at Auschwitz.

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Museums involved claim they legally own the artworks and plan to continue displaying them. The new laws provide Jewish families with stronger legal grounds to pursue the recovery of these works, marking a significant shift in the ongoing debate over the ownership of Nazi-looted art.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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