As an alternative to HGTV, last night the General and I watched “Woman In Gold” on Netflix. It is the story of Maria Altmann, who as a newlywed escaped Austria along with her husband amid the Nazi take-over and heightened oppression and persecution of the Jews.
Her family of origin, including an uncle and his family, were the cultured elite of their society. Her aunt, Adele Bloch-Baurer was a wealthy patron of the arts and served as a model for some of Gustav Klimt’s most famous paintings including “Woman in Gold”
The Nazis confiscated the family’s coveted possessions. Many of the works of art by Klimt subsequently found their way into the Belvedere Museum, and the Austrian government claimed rightful ownership of them. Reportedly, “Woman in Gold” was regarded as the Mona Lisa of the Austrian people.
The movie deals with Maria Altmann’s quest to reclaim what rightfully belonged to her family. She did so with the aid of a young lawyer whose family origins were woven together with her family.
According “The Guardian review”, the movie is a fake. Of course, the criticism may be the film’s absence of the harsh reality and brutality rendered to Jewish people in Austria.
I’m sticking with my recommendation that the film has merit. Whether the movie is gold or fool’s gold, we found the film thought provoking. In addition, much about Maria Altmann can be found on Wikipedia.
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Don
Carpe Diem 