Christie’s has made the decision to cancel an upcoming auction of jewels belonging to the late Austrian billionaire, Heidi Horten, due to intense scrutiny regarding the connection to Nazi Germany. This scheduled second auction, following a criticized May sale, faced backlash due to Heidi Horten’s late husband’s membership in the Nazi party.
The late German billionaire, Helmut Horten, amassed his wealth in the department store industry. He gained traction when the Nazi government pressured Jewish store owners to sell their successful businesses in the 1930s. Horten further expanded his empire by acquiring a prominent textile manufacturer from a Jewish owner who was escaping persecution.
Heidi Horten passed away at the age of 81 last year, leaving behind an estimated net worth of $3 billion, according to Forbes. The initial sale of a portion of her estate in May set a record for a private collection, generating over $200 million.
Numerous Jewish groups expressed their opposition to the sale of Heidi Horten’s collection. Responding to the intense scrutiny, Christie’s President Anthea Peers acknowledged the impact and stated, “The sale of the Heidi Horten jewelry collection has provoked intense scrutiny. The reaction to it has deeply affected us and many others, and we will continue to reflect on it.”
In response to the criticism, Christie’s announced that a portion of the proceeds from the sales would be allocated towards Holocaust research and education. However, The Jerusalem Post reported that several Jewish charities declined offers of donations from the auction proceeds.
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