The Other Kind of Immunity: The Challenges of Using American Courts to Reclaim Nazi Looted Art

In our final episode, we discuss art looted during the Holocaust, the efforts of Jewish Americans to reclaim this art, and the challenges posed by the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. Individuals attempting to reclaim this art using American or foreign courts often face immense difficulties. Claremont McKenna College professor Jonathan Petropoulos discusses several of these cases and their diverse outcomes. We pay particular attention to Republic of Austria v. Altmann, Hungary v. Simon, and Germany v. Philipp. Additionally, we discuss the nuanced issues surrounding the balance between international cooperation and sovereign independence. We conclude the series by returning to the broad issues of justice, legality, and ethical considerations in the complex field of art repatriation and reclamation.