The Bührle Foundation’s recent pledge to address the complexities surrounding art with potentially tainted provenance has been met with skepticism. The foundation is seeking CHF 3 million from the city of Zurich, channeled through the Kunsthausgesellschaft, to fund further research into the origins of its collection. Notably, the Bührle family is not directly involved in this initiative.

The Bührle Collection Foundation’s works remain on public display at the Kunsthaus Zurich as a permanent loan. The Zurich Art Society (ZKG) is tasked with conducting provenance research. This development follows an investigative report by historian Raphael Gross, published eleven months prior, which highlighted inadequacies in the foundation’s previous research efforts.

Concerns Over Independence and Scope

“If you go into the viewpoint of the applicant or former family of owners, then you can find out that these activities only ensure that there is no regulation for a further five years and everything is blocked.”

While the Bührle foundation and the ZKG have agreed on guidelines for addressing art potentially looted by the Nazis, critics argue these measures fall short. The ZKG will oversee a five-year project to investigate the collection’s provenance within the Kunsthaus.The Kunsthaus maintains that this extended research aligns with its principles and cannot be postponed indefinitely. However, the eleven-month delay in responding to concerns already widely acknowledged has drawn criticism. The Bührle family has yet to comment.

Olaf ossmann, a lawyer specializing in restitution issues, along with representatives of victim families like the Emden family, have voiced concerns. Ossmann told Tachles that these activities “only ensure that there is no regulation for a further five years and everything is blocked,” highlighting the unresolved nature of cases like the Emden family’s claim.

The Bührle Foundation acknowledges that the five-year project exceeds the Kunsthaus’s regular funding capacity. The Zurich art Society has applied for CHF 3 million from the city of Zurich to support the research. Given the city’s depiction within the Kunsthausgesellschaft, approval is anticipated.

Critics point out that the extended clarification of origin is being conducted by the same individuals responsible for provenance at the Kunsthaus, including Joachim Sieber, who previously worked under Lukas Gloor, former head of the Bührle foundation. This arrangement raises concerns about potential bias and the need for autonomous examination. The establishment of an independent expert commission for historically burdened cultural heritage by the Federal Council is still pending.

Family Absence and Future Exhibitions

Despite the Federal Council’s proclamation of such a commission on November 22, 2023, political negotiations regarding its structure are ongoing. This delay means that the Kunsthaus’s current examination of the works will not be subject to independent oversight during the five-year period.

The Bührle Foundation states its commitment to “striving for fair and fair and fair solutions” regarding permanent loans with indications of a problematic history. This commitment aligns with the Washington Principles, already incorporated into the revised contract with the city of Zurich. Three new exhibitions are planned to explore historical relationships, including the role of Jewish collectors in promoting modern art and the legacy of Emil Bührle as an art collector and arms manufacturer.

Historian Raphael Gross’s investigation report, commissioned by the city of Zurich, revealed that previous provenance research by the Bührle Foundation was insufficient. Many works in the Bührle collection had Jewish owners during World War II. The funding source for provenance research remains unclear. The Kunsthausgesellschaft has reportedly engaged with Jewish organizations to preempt opposition.

A motion is being considered in the Zurich municipal council to involve Raphael Gross and his team in the provenance research, leveraging their existing knowledge of the works. Raphael Gross declined to comment.

Diverging Jewish perspectives

While the Swiss Israelite Association and the Israelite Cultus community of Zurich have largely welcomed the Bührle Foundation’s announcement, the foundation against racism and anti-Semitism (GRA) has expressed criticism. Philip Bessermann, Managing Director, argues that the lack of an independent body compromises the research’s impartiality. Bessermann referenced a leaked letter from the head of the Art Society, suggesting that reappraisal could lead to “new injustice” through “expropriation.” He questions the Art Society’s credibility in conducting provenance research. Furthermore, he notes that approximately 400 works from the Bührle collection remain excluded, the costs are being borne by the city, and the role of Emil Bührle as a weapon supplier is not being adequately addressed. Bessermann advocates for an independent body, complete inclusion of the collection, shared financing, and a discussion about renaming the exhibition.

Gratian Anda,heir to the Bührle family and President of the Foundation collection EG Bührle,has remained notably silent throughout the controversy. His grandfather,Emil Georg Bührle,amassed wealth through arms transactions with the Nazi regime,which funded the art collection. Anda’s involvement in the presentation of the artworks at the Kunsthaus Zurich has drawn scrutiny. In 2024, he apologized to a former forced laborer who had worked for his grandfather during World War II, emphasizing human recognition over financial compensation. The city of Zurich previously compensated approximately 320 victims of coercive measures with around CHF 8 million, following revelations about forced labor in an Emil Bührle spinning mill. The anda-Bührle family’s wealth is estimated at CHF 1.3 billion,ranking them 129th among the wealthiest individuals in switzerland.

An anonymous international Jewish collector commented, “It is indeed not surprising that there seems to be no political will in Switzerland to solve the Bührle saga with moral strength. What kind of message is that to the youth of today and future sponsors of the Kunsthaus Zurich? Either way, the colliery has to be paid at some point.” American bodies are reportedly taking a closer look at the Causa Bührle.