German authorities seize more works with ties to Nazi art trove

Authorities in Germany have seized more art that is possibly connected to the unprecedented discovery of more than 1,400 works revealed last week.

The German newspaper Bild reported over the weekend that 22 pieces of art were recovered from an apartment in Stuttgart that is the residence of a man who is believed to be related to Cornelius Gurlitt, the art dealer who was keeping hundreds of valuable works in his Munich apartment.

Gurlitt is the son of the late Hildebrand Gurlitt, a Nazi-era art dealer who was known to sell looted art. The Stuttgart apartment is reported to be the residence of Dr. Nikolaus Fraessle, a brother-in-law of the younger Gurlitt.

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The 22 pieces were taken from the apartment by authorities on Saturday. Bild reported that Fraessle himself notified police of the art out of concern for the pieces’ safety. It is unclear how Fraessle came to possess the art and if the pieces are in fact part of the larger stash of art revealed last week.

Last week’s revelation of the 1,406 works of art discovered in Munich shook the art world, with reports stating that it could be the most important discovery of Nazi-looted art since World War II. Experts say it could take years for the pieces to be authenticated.

German authorities discovered the large stash in 2012 but kept quiet about it until the magazine Focus reported on the findings last week.

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