image sourced from original article at A new exhibition at the Wiener Holocaust Library in London centers on a table with a remarkable past, stolen from a Jewish family during the Nazi annexation of Austria in 1938. The table was discovered decades later by the great-granddaughter of a local Nazi official, who, upon learning of her family's history, sought out the descendants of the original owners. The exhibition explores Austria's troubled legacy of restitution for victims of Nazi theft, highlighting the Wertheimer family's tragic experiences of persecution, loss, and failed attempts to reclaim their property after the war.
The story takes an unexpected turn as the Nazi official's descendant and the granddaughter of the Holocaust victims connect, sharing family histories and collaborating to restore and return the looted table. Their project of reconciliation stands out as a rare example of confronting the past and seeking to right historical wrongs. The exhibition not only sheds light on the broader failures of postwar restitution but also celebrates the power of personal initiative and dialogue in healing old wounds.
