An Austrian appeals court refused to recognize the multi-billion claim for damages against the Czech state lodged by the blood plasma firm Diag Human and as a result Czech works of art seized in Vienna in May this year, the Czech News Agency (ČTK) reported Friday.
The ruling by the Austrian court on Friday means that the paintings “Two Women” by Emil Filla, “The Dancer” by Vincenc Beneš and a bronze statue by Otto Gutfreund called “The Embrace” — all of which were seized when on loan to a Viennese gallery — will be returned to the Moravian Gallery in Brno.
Dating back to 1995, Diag Human’s claim against the Czech Republic is the longest-running arbitration case ever involving the Czech state. Diag Human now claims that an arbitration ruling in August 2008 ordering the Czech state to pay the firm Kč 8.33 billion is definitive because it says the appeal lodged by the Czech state is invalid.
The Czech Ministry of Health has represented the state in the arbitration proceedings. Diag Human is also pursuing claims against the Czech Republic in the France, Luxemburg, US, and UK.
See related article: Austrian court overturns Czech art seizure ruling
