Cases of the provenance research

Louis Rothschild

Dünne gebuckelte Holzschilde mit versilbertem Leder überzogen und auf verschiedene Weise ornamental farbig gefasst. — Hersteller unbekannt, Rundschild, Sammlung Rothschild, Ende 16./Anfang 17. Jh., Holz, Leder, versilbert, farbig gefasst,

Louis Rothschild (1882–1955) was taken into Gestapo custody following Austria’s annexation to the German Reich, and his assets were confiscated.

The Nazi regime extorted all of his assets and those of his brothers, Alphonse and Eugène, located in the German Reich in order to secure his release from Gestapo custody (Alphonse and Eugène were already abroad). Louis Rothschild was then able to emigrate in May 1939.

The Salzburg Museum requested the allocation of ‘Aryanised’ objects from the Vienna Institute for Monument Preservation (Federal Monuments Authority) and, among other items, received the round shield from Louis Rothschild’s art collection in 1941 as a so-called Führerspende (Führer donation).

After 1945, Louis Rothschild applied for restitution. The Salzburg Museum stated that it was unable to locate the round shield. Louis Rothschild died in 1955. On November 5, 2019, the Board of Trustees of the Salzburg Museum decided to initiate the restitution of the round shield identified in the course of current provenance research. It was returned on February 9, 2026.