The street scene that left Berlin
A celebrated Expressionist painting carried the unresolved history of the Hess collection.
Berliner Straßenszene was part of Alfred and Tekla Hess’s collection. It travelled to Switzerland in 1933 and was later sent to Cologne. A collector acquired it in late 1936 or early 1937.
Berlin bought the work for the Brücke-Museum in 1980. Decades later, a restitution agreement addressed the Hess family’s persecution and unresolved questions about the wartime-era sale, including whether the family received the proceeds.
The city returned the painting to the family’s heir in July 2006. It was later acquired for Neue Galerie New York and a private collection. The case became a focal point in debates over German restitution practice.
Artwork Details & DocumentationIdentification, ownership history and supporting records
Individual artwork identification details have not yet been documented in this record. Missing specifications are not inferred from the photograph or report headline.
Not documented in this record: object type · materials & technique · measurements · inscriptions & markings · distinguishing features · artwork title · maker / attribution · creation date / period · subject.
Record sources
Identification details follow the Object ID categories where documented. Ownership history is recorded separately; this documentation is not an authentication or a certificate of ownership.
Documentary sources
- Neue Galerie: Berlin Street Scene ↗
- Berlin Senate: restitution practice report ↗
- Tagesspiegel: completed restitution, 27 July 2006 ↗
An original ArtTraceX synthesis. Sources checked .