In August 1938, three objects from the Rothberger collection were donated to the MAK, two by Hans W. Lange, Berlin, and one by Heinrich Rothberger himself. The museum also purchased eleven porcelain objects from the Rothberger collection for 17,600 Reichsmarks from the auction house of Adolf Weinmüller in May 1939 and another one for 1,500 Reichsmarks in October. Another 38 objects were bought for 24,050 Reichsmarks through negotiation by the lawyer of Heinrich Rothberger. When Rothberger’s lawyer filed an application for restitution in September 1947, the museum requested an exportation ban to be issued for objects from its collections. In October 1947, a settlement was reached between Heinrich Rothberger and the MAK, which comprised all objects purchased between 1939 and 1940, but not the three donations of August 1938. It was agreed that Heinrich Rothberger was entitled to full restitution, that 18 objects were to remain at the museum as donations, and that Heinrich Rothberger had the right of duty-free exportation as movables of the objects assigned to him. The settlement was followed by a barter deal in which Heinrich Rothberger traded in two bowls with Schwarzlot painting, which were prohibited to export, for six duplicate pieces of Chinese porcelain.
In reviewing the objects bought by the MAK from the Vienna auction house of Adolf Weinmüller in the Nazi era, two further objects from the Rothberger collection could be identified.
On 26 June 2000, the Advisory Board advocated the restitution of 18 objects which were returned on 24 October 2003. The Board decided against restitution of the two exchange objects.
They were restituted on 24 October 2003.
They were restituted on 24 October 2003.
On 20 November 2003, the Board recommended restitution of three further objects; these were returned on 22 July 2004.
Regarding the two objects bought from the Weinmüller auction house, the Board advocated restitution on 14 December 2005; the objects were returned on 2 August 2006.
The two bowls were restituted on 17 February 2015.
