Authorities in Argentina have launched a criminal investigation into the daughter of a former Nazi official and her spouse after recovering an 18th-century Nazi-looted painting stolen from a Jewish art dealer during World War II.
The painting, “Portrait of a Lady” by Giuseppe Ghislandi, was discovered after Dutch journalists investigated the late Friedrich Kadgien’s dealings with the Nazis and found a real estate listing featuring the artwork.
The investigation centers on Juan Carlos Cortegoso and his wife, Patricia Kadgien, who is Friedrich Kadgien’s daughter.
Prosecutor Carlos Martinez accused the couple of hiding the painting despite being aware that it was being sought by the criminal justice system and international authorities.
“It was only after several police raids that they turned it in,” Martinez explained. The couple has been charged with obstruction of justice and concealment.
“Portrait of a Lady” was part of the collection of Jacques Goudstikker, a Jewish art dealer in Amsterdam. Goudstikker fled the Nazis in 1940 but died on board the SS Bodegraven after falling.
The Nazis seized many of his artworks, including “Portrait of a Lady,” which was later acquired by Friedrich Kadgien, Hermann Göring’s financial adviser.
Kadgien brought the painting to Argentina after the war, where it remained hidden for decades.
Goudstikker’s heirs have been seeking to recover his collection since the war. After the painting’s recovery, Marei von Saher, one of Goudstikker’s heirs, reached out to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States to ensure the painting’s restitution.
Prosecutors have requested that “Portrait of a Lady” be held at the Buenos Aires Holocaust Museum for now.
Patricia Kadgien and her husband were briefly put under house arrest and are now subject to a 180-day travel ban. A lawyer for the couple reportedly asked a civil court to allow them to sell the painting, but the request was denied.
The investigation into the couple’s actions continues, with authorities pursuing leads and considering potential prosecution for concealing criminal property.
Patricia Kadgien, daughter of Friedrich Kadgien, a Nazi official who fled to Argentina after World War II, and her husband Juan Carlos Cortegoso are facing charges for obstructing the investigation into the recovery of the Nazi-looted painting “Portrait of a Lady” by Giuseppe Ghislandi.
Prosecutor Carlos Martinez accused the couple of hiding the painting despite knowing it was being sought by authorities. They were placed under house arrest and are now subject to a 180-day travel ban.
“Portrait of a Lady” was part of Jacques Goudstikker’s extensive art collection, which included over 1,000 paintings. Top German officials, led by Gestapo founder Hermann Göring, divided up his collection after he fled the Netherlands in 1940.
Friedrich Kadgien, Göring’s financial adviser, was part of the network that smuggled stolen assets and individuals across Europe and into South America.
The painting, a large portrait of the Contessa Colleoni holding gloves and a book, had not been seen in decades, with only black-and-white photographs of the artwork surviving.
The painting was recovered after Dutch journalists investigated Friedrich Kadgien’s dealings with the Nazis and found a real estate listing featuring the artwork. Goudstikker’s heirs have been seeking to recover his collection since the war.
Marei von Saher, one of Goudstikker’s heirs, has reached out to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States to ensure the painting’s restitution. Prosecutors have requested that “Portrait of a Lady” be held at the Buenos Aires Holocaust Museum for now.
The recovery of “Portrait of a Lady” raises questions about Argentina’s post-war role as a safe haven for Nazi fugitives. The case may also lead to further investigations into other artworks that may remain hidden in private collections.
The incident highlights the ongoing efforts to recover and restitute Nazi-looted art, providing closure for the families of those affected by the war.
