A Polish man arrested in February after being accused of trying to sell in Moscow a painting looted by the German army from the National Museum of Poznan during World War II will not be extradited to Poland. The U.S. District Court in New York (Rakoff, J.) concluded that Alexander Khochinsky did not acquire "Girl with Dove" by Antoine Pesne—stolen by the German army—with the knowledge that it was stolen property, and thus, could not be extradited. While there could be a second attempt to extradite him for his conduct after he learned the Polish government considered the painting to be stolen (when he had proposed to exchange it for restitution for his mother’s home), it seems unlikely. The whereabouts of the painting are unknown.
No Extradition to Poland for Dealer Accused of Trying to Sell Nazi-Looted Art
Posted by
Nicholas O'Donnell on August 5, 2015 at 12:06 PM
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Topics: Republic of Poland, Alexander Khochinsky, Third Reich, Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, extradition, Book of Acquisitions of the Greater Poland Museum, Moscow, Restitution, "Girl with Dove", World War II, Antoine Pesne, Kaiser Friedrich-Museum, National Museum of Poznan, Litigation, Diplomatic Note No. 35-15-2013, Rakoff
