Randol randy schoenberg saw himself portrayed on the big screen by hunky ryan reynolds in the movie woman in gold, he immediately spotted a difference. The avant garde of the austrian capital was a relatively tightlyknit group which included the composer arnold schoenberg. Yet, in all the unimaginable atrocities and barbarism, maria altmann not only survived, she triumphed. The weinstein companys latest period piece tells the incredible true story of maria altmann helen mirren, a wwii refugee who, with the help of. Of particular note is a painting of altmanns aunt, adele blochbauer, now known in austria as the woman in gold. Maria altmann, who was trying to recover six klimt paintings stolen from. The klimt painting, the nazis and a hollywood courtroom drama. Maria altmann in 2005 with the recovered klimt painting of her aunt adele.
Maria altmann was born maria victoria bloch on february 18, 1916 in vienna, austriahungary, the daughter of marie therese nee bauer 18741961 and gustav bloch 18621938. Apr 03, 2015 the weinstein companys latest period piece tells the incredible true story of maria altmann helen mirren, a wwii refugee who, with the help of attorney randol schoenberg ryan reynolds. Randol schoenberg, maria altmann, wolfgang fischer, jonathan petropoulos, kenneth lindsay, lynn nicholas, nancy yeide. Randol schoenberg joined forces with maria altmann in a legal battle to reclaim her familys collection of paintings, seized by the nazis in 1938. His grandfather was composer arnold schoenberg, who died before randol was born. Supreme court and set a precedent for reparations of works looted by the nazis. Schoenberg says that since the victory he has become a. Lawyer randol schoenberg helped maria altmann win back a legendary klimt painting that the nazis stole from her austrian family during world war ii. Jun 01, 2011 schoenberg took the case, thought unwinnable, of austrian emigre maria altmann, the elderly niece of the paintings late owners, adele and ferdinand blochbauer, on contingency. Maria altmann learned that the valuable artwork owned by her uncle had been either seized by the nazis or taken by austria after world war ii. Apr 01, 2015 young lawyer randol randy schoenberg the american grandson of another famous austrian, composer arnold schoenberg isnt particularly interested in the merits of marias tenuous contention. All those years later, the lawyer who handled altmanns case was e. Adeles wish by filmmaker terrence turner, who is the husband of altmann s greatniece, was released in 2008, and features interviews with altmann, her lawyer, e. Feb 08, 2011 altmann died monday at her cheviot hills home after a long illness, said family friend e.
Apr 01, 2015 wideeyed with indignation and quietly confident of her ultimate success, mirrens altmann is an adorable foil to her frequently exasperated young lawyer, randol schoenberg ryan reynolds. Randol schoenberg, the man behind woman in gold movie to. National fund of the republic of austria for victims of national socialism. Altmann died monday at her cheviot hills home after a long illness, said family friend e. Randol schoenberg california lawyers recovering klimt. America and the age of genocide, as well as the frequent articles on the israeli conflict and the june 2002 conference schoenberg and his god at the arnold schonberg center in vienna, i have long wondered whether there.
Randol schoenberg, the grandson of renowned austrian composers arnold schoenberg and eric zeisl, waged an eightyear battle on behalf of maria altmann in her quest to regain six paintings by gustav klimt that had once belonged to her family but were taken by the nazis. Maria altmann, who died on 7 february aged 94, was a refugee from nazioccupied austria who successfully fought to recover gustav klimt paintings looted from her jewish family. Randol schoenberg, attorney and key character in the film woman in gold. After nazi plunder, a quest to bring home the woman. Maria altmann the accidental caregiver book teaser youtube.
Adele was the beloved aunt of maria altmann, who belonged to an austrian family, from whom the nazis looted the painting along with everything the family owned. Jewish refugee maria altmann is forced to flee vienna during world war ii. The life story of maria altmann inspired the 2015 film woman in gold starring helen mirren. She sued in american federal court to recover six paintings from the austrian gallery. Her legal spearcarrier was a 32yearold legal nobody named e. The case had a special place in schoenbergs heart because, like his grandparents, maria altmann had fled the nazis during world war ii. Jul 25, 2015 determined to recover her familys paintings, maria engaged e. Randol schoenberg, and leading experts from around the world. Woman in gold is a firstrate detective story that unravels. The real randol schoenberg posted this woman in gold documentary that explores the history and recovery of the blochbauer klimt paintings by maria altmann in 2006.
The lady in gold by annemarie oconnor knopf 400 pp. Maria altmann obituary art and design the guardian. Randol schoenberg, tried to sue the austrian government. Nachod family graves in the prague old cemetery torah curtain, gift of manis ben shalom nachod and his wife frumetl, daughter of joseph ausch, rosh medina, segal, on the birth of their grandson moshe 1697. It is maria altmann and randol schoenbergs struggle to get the austrian government to return altmanns familys property in this case, five klimt paintings that is portrayed in the historical.
The quest to recover her familys paintings five spectacular works by gustav klimt lasted eight years and took me all the way to the united states supreme court. Randol schoenberg at the grave of his 12ggrandfather abba maria chalfan d. He talks about seeing his efforts brought to life in new film woman in gold. Young lawyer randol randy schoenberg the american grandson of another famous austrian, composer arnold schoenberg isnt particularly interested in the merits of marias tenuous contention. For altmann and her lawyer, randol schoenberg, battling a foreign government over ownership of a painting was a daunting task, especially against a country trying to hold onto its most prized artistic possession. Of particular note is a painting of altmann s aunt, adele blochbauer, now known in austria as the woman in gold. Maria altmann may have been determined, but she could not have succeeded in her battle alone. Maria was in her 80s during this time, but she was a formidable foe. Randol schoenberg and maria altmann titles maria altmann died in 2011 container film is about maria altmann, an elderly jewish woman who, sixty years after she fled vienna during world war ii, began a court battle that went all the way to the u. Randol schoenberg, grandson of the austrian composers, arnold schoenberg and eric ziesl. With the stakes so high, a wealthy friend of altmann offered to pay former judge and supreme court nominee robert bork to take over the case, but altmann wanted schoenberg. It is maria altmann and randol schoenberg s struggle to get the austrian government to return altmann s familys property in this case, five klimt paintings that is portrayed in the historical. Her legal battle, led by schoenberg, became the basis for the 2015 movie. Portrait of adele blochbauer i also called the lady in gold or the woman in gold is a painting by gustav klimt, completed between 1903 and 1907.
Barbara zeisl schoenberg was born in new york on may 17, 1940, the daughter of austrianamerican jewish refugee from nazi austria composer eric zeisl and his wife dr. Theres a world of new ideas in every books newsletter. Randol schoenberg, who represented maria altmann in her claim against the government of austria to recover. The portrait was commissioned by the sitters husband, ferdinand blochbauer, a jewish banker and sugar producer. Decades later, maria has taken on a mission to reclaim a painting the nazis stole from her family. His grandmother gertrud schoenberg was the sister of violinist rudolf kolisch. The family name was changed to blochbauer the following year. All those years later, the lawyer who handled altmann s case was e randol. Maria altmann, whose sevenyear battle to recover her familys nazilooted paintings riveted the art and legal worlds, has died. Jun 24, 2019 woman in gold, an emotional new film that opens this week, stars helen mirren as maria altmann, a reallife jewish refugee whose familys art was stolen by nazis in world war ii. Apr 02, 2015 maria altmann may have been determined, but she could not have succeeded in her battle alone.
She is portrayed by actress frances fisher in woman in gold, the 2015 film about her son e. She was a niece of adele blochbauer, a wealthy jewish patron of the arts who served as the model for some of klimts bestknown paintings. Maria altmann i wanted it to go to a museum that is a bridge between europe and the united states. Maria altmann, recovered familys nazilooted art, is dead. Randol schoenberg, attorney and key character in the film woman in gold it is not simply a memoir. Randol schoenberg, who represented maria altmann in her claim against the government of austria to recover five familyowned paintings by the artist gustav klimt stolen by the nazis during world war ii. It is one of the most recent cases that deals with the antiretroactivity doctrine, which is a doctrine that holds that courts should not construe a statute to apply retroactively to apply to. Altmann, born in 1916, performed the task with no trouble.
His passion for the matter was boundless, and for all. Apr 03, 2015 woman in gold is a davidandgoliath story. Jan 22, 2019 she is portrayed by actress frances fisher in woman in gold, the 2015 film about her son e. For a moment, it seemed as if she were a 9yearold girl again her age when her aunt died. Schoenberg was altmanns attorney, and in 2006 he shocked the art and legal worlds by winning back five klimts for her and her fellow heirs. Oconnor writes after schoenberg won restitution of the adele portrait following eight years of litigation. Woman in gold film about niece winning portrait stolen. His aunt nuria is the widow of the italian composer luigi nono. Schoenberg represented maria altmann in her suit to obtain five gustav klimt paintings. Maria altmann, pursuer of looted paintings, died on february 7th, aged 94. Collins magnum opus is nothing less than an enlightened insight to the best of the human soul. Woman in gold, an emotional new film that opens this week, stars helen mirren as maria altmann, a reallife jewish refugee whose familys art was stolen by nazis in world war ii. Feb 11, 2011 the avant garde of the austrian capital was a relatively tightlyknit group which included the composer arnold schoenberg. Randol schoenberg was able to accomplish what few thought.
Supreme court in order to retrieve family possessions seized by the nazis. Apr, 2015 for altmann and her lawyer, randol schoenberg, battling a foreign government over ownership of a painting was a daunting task, especially against a country trying to hold onto its most prized artistic possession. How i met, loved, and lost legendary holocaust refugee maria. Woman in gold recounts how maria altmanns family fled vienna. As maria altmann you are quite rude, youre a little uncouth and you are completely disinterested in the past. Books on klimt and binders of memorabilia from the altmann case fill a shelf nearby. Portrait of adele blochblauer, the 2012 book by annemarie oconnor. After nazi plunder, a quest to bring home the woman in. She and randol schoenberg, her attorney, successfully argued for the return of the paintings after the us supreme court determined she would be able to sue the government of austria. Altmann was an 82yearold grandmother living in cheviot hills in 1998 when she.