The Wall Street Journal recently reported on a police raid in Germany that focused attention on an art market where collectors and dealers buy and sell works by artists favored by the Nazis. Read the full article here.
In a coordinated raid, German police recently seized nine “lost” Nazi-commissioned sculptures. If the investigation reveals that the works were in fact commissioned by the state and therefore property of the German government, then those from whom the sculptures were seized could face charges. Read more information about the raid here.
The raid shines a light on the black market for Nazi art and paraphernalia, the sale of which is allowed only under limited circumstances in Germany. While tens of thousands of Germans illicitly deal in Nazi paraphernalia, only 30 to 40 people in Germany comprise the Nazi art market.
Nazi art is frowned upon of course because of artworks relationship with fascist regime and most mainstream art galleries and auction houses in Germany avoid displaying and selling Nazi-commissioned artworks.