The Restitutions Committee has advised the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science to restitute the painting Fruit Still Life by the seventeenth-century painter Johannes Bosschaert to the Order of Freemasons under the Grand Orient of the Netherlands. This painting is currently part of the Netherlands Art Property Collection (NK Collection), which consists of artworks returned to the Netherlands after the Second World War. Although this is not generally known, the Nazis persecuted the Order of Freemasons as an organization during the occupation.

Systematic theft and forced sale of possessions

Hitler viewed the Order of Freemasons as an ‘enemy of the people’ and a Jewish conspiracy. The Order was banned shortly after his rise to power in Germany. The ban in the Netherlands followed in September 1940. Possessions belonging to the Order of Freemasons were systematically stolen and sold under duress from May 1940 onwards. Lodges (local associations) were liquidated throughout the country.

Photographic material confirms original ownership

The Order of Freemasons owned the painting before the occupation. It can be seen in a 1938 group photograph of the Order of Freemasons’ main board. Additional photographic material supports the conclusion that the photograph was taken in the lodge of the Order of Freemasons at the Fluwelen Burgwal in The Hague.

Loss of possession

Research revealed that this painting was sold under duress in June 1944 to the German civil servant Dr Erhard Göpel. Göpel purchased the painting for Sonderauftrag Linz (Special Mission Linz), an organization that acquired works of art for a future Führer Museum. It became clear that the Order of Freemasons had no financial need to divest itself of art. The painting was brought back from Germany after the war and put under the care of the Netherlands Art Property Foundation (SNK).

Recommendation to restitute

Based upon research the Committee deemed it highly likely that the painting was originally the property of the Order of Freemasons. The Committee also considered it sufficiently plausible that the Order lost possession of the painting involuntarily due to circumstances directly connected with the Nazi regime. The Committee therefore recommends restitution. The Minister has adopted the Restitutions Committee’s recommendation.

Relevant recommendation and summary: Order of Freemasons