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The new Kunsthaus building on Heimplatz in Zurich opened in October. David Chipperfield’s hermetic architecture houses one of the most valuable and controversial collections in the world. Arms manufacturer Emil Bührle (1890-1956) was able to build up his collection, which occupies a third of the new wing, thanks to arms deliveries to Nazi Germany. There has been no external, independent investigation into origin. It has been a difficult legacy for the city and the museum for years.
During the war and well after, Bührle was one of Zurich’s largest employers. Bührle has been involved in the museum as a patron for just as long, which he sponsored by the millions during his lifetime. Due to a new historical investigation into Bührle and a documentation room in the museum, the municipality and Kunsthaus had hoped for a flawless launch of the collection in the new wing.
critical book
The opposite happened. The debate is intensifying by the day. Zurich is accused of making a secret deal with a private foundation with taxpayers’ money. The Kunsthaus is accused of having an infected collection in the house. Just before the opening, the umpteenth critical book about the ‘Causa Bührle’ was published: The contaminated museum by historian Erich Keller.
The conditions under which the Bührle Foundation has lent the loaded collection until 2034 must now be made public. The city of Zurich makes its subsidy conditional on a new loan agreement, which has yet to be agreed upon this month. According to the city council, the museum room in which the history of the arms industry is documented is also below average and should be redesigned. A committee will be set up to look into the provenance of the collection. That is possible, now that the archives of the Bührle collection have been transferred to the Kunsthaus.
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Also read the interview with Ann Demeester: ‘Art has always been tainted’
Canceled membership
But in Zurich the nerves are exposed. The press conference with which Kunsthaus and the Bührle Foundation wanted to clear the air in December turned out to be a complete failure. In front of an extremely critical room of press and action groups, director Christoph Becker, his board and the Bührle foundation showed no sensitivity whatsoever for the discussion about art related to the Nazi regime. That debate goes further than ‘looted art’ or ‘flight art’. Chairman of the Bührle Foundation Alexander Jolles asserted firmly that all restitution claims were time-barred and that Jews in free and neutral Switzerland were not forced to sell their works of art.
The artist Miriam Cahn then decided to buy back her works held by the Kunsthaus. Jewish board members of the museum’s management foundation have canceled their membership. While the municipality removes all references to racism from historic facades – the word ‘moor’ should no longer appear anywhere – the municipality legitimizes Nazi collaborator Bührle in a public building, writes the Jewish weekly Tachles.
Under the increased pressure – and with the municipal elections approaching – mayor Corine Mauch wants to reconsider the appointment of Ann Demeester as the new director. It would be a godsend if the current director of the Frans Hals Museum could take over the toxic file sooner.
Demeester himself does not want to say anything about this. She will officially start on January 1, 2023. If she is at the helm, she will certainly speak out on the Bührle issue. Now signals from the sidelines only complicate matters, says Demeester.
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