James von Bleichröder
James von Bleichröder | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age Germany |
| Died | April 28, 1937 (aged 77) |
| Occupation(s) | Banker, art collector, racecar driver |
| Known for | Member of the Bleichröder banking dynasty, art collection, promoting German motor sports |
James von Bleichröder (born October 14, 1859 – died April 28, 1937) was a German banker of Jewish descent, belonging to the distinguished Bleichröder banking dynasty. He was one of three sons of Gerson von Bleichröder, who was famously recognized as Bismarck's banker and received nobility status in 1872. Holding a doctorate in law, James, alongside his brother Georg, was among the wealthiest individuals in Prussia during the early 1900s, with their wealth estimated at approximately 20 million marks in both 1895 and 1908 (equivalent to roughly 180 million euros today).
From his first marriage to Harriet Alexander in 1888, which ended in divorce in 1902, he fathered five children, including Ellie von Bleichröder, who survived deportation to the Theresienstadt concentration camp during the Second World War. Subsequently, he married twice more: first to variety performer Flora de Saint Riquier in 1905 and later to Maria Stade in 1917.
During World War I, von Bleichröder held the rank of cavalry captain. He played a significant role in promoting German motor sports by donating the Palais Bleichröder at Leipziger Platz 16 to the German Automobile Club (D.A.C.) in 1902. This organization evolved into the Kaiserlicher Automobil-Club (K.A.C.) and is presently known as the Automobilclub von Deutschland (AvD). Additionally, he was actively involved as a racecar driver. Around 1910, he gifted a hippopotamus to the Berlin Zoo.
Upon his death, he was buried in the family mausoleum located at Friedrichsfelde Central Cemetery; however, this structure was demolished in 1950 following orders from Wilhelm Pieck. Today, a modest gravestone commemorates his burial site.
Art collection and Nazi persecution
James von Bleichröder amassed a collection of antiques and artworks, featuring pieces by artists such as Adolph Menzel and Max Liebermann. In 1938, his collection was sold through an auction at Rudolph Lepke auction house. Among these works, the painting The Raising of Lazarus became part of Hermann Göring's collection after acquisition via the Julius Böhler gallery and was subsequently transferred to the Bavarian State Painting Collections in 1961.
Claims for Restitution
The heirs of von Bleichröder pursued legal restitution for the artworks through appointed representatives. In 2017, the Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen reached an agreement to acquire The Raising of Lazarus from the family heirs. Presently, the heirs have submitted 37 search requests registered with the German Lost Art Foundation Database.
Literature
- Robert Volz: Reichshandbuch der deutschen Gesellschaft. Das Handbuch der Persönlichkeiten in Wort und Bild. Volume 1: A–K. Deutscher Wirtschaftsverlag, Berlin 1930, .