Dr. Wilhelm (William) Blitz

Wilhelm Blitz was born in Vienna, the son of real estate owner Hugo Blitz and Malvine, née Adler. The Jewish family was one of Vienna's leading real estate dealers and owned a large amount of property themselves. After completing his schooling, he enrolled in political science at the University of Vienna and graduated in 1926. He married the Jewish Gertrude Cappillerie. However, the marriage remained childless.

After completing his doctorate, he joined his father's real estate company and, together with his wife, devoted himself to the art collection. The Wilhelm and Gertrude Blitz collection comprises a large number of paintings, including works by artists such as Schuch, Höfer, Pettenkopfen and Kokoschka. They also own a collection of bronzes, porcelain, various works of art and handicrafts such as furniture and clocks. Politically, Wilhelm Blitz was an active proponent of a customs and currency union between Germany and Austria.

On March 12, 1938, Wilhelm and Gertrude Blitz witnessed the demise of free and independent Austria with the invasion of the German Wehrmacht. With the occupation of Austria, German legislation was adopted and with it the 'Nuremberg Racial Laws', according to which Wilhelm and Gertrude Blitz were considered 'full Jews'.

On 20 March 1938, Wilhelm Blitz was murdered by the Nazis. On March 20, 1938, Wilhelm Blitz was arrested by the Gestapo and on April 2, 1938, he was deported to the Dachau concentration camp on the so-called 'Prominent Transport'. From there, he was transferred to the Buchenwald concentration camp on September 23, 1938. In the meantime, Gertrude Blitz manages to escape to Switzerland. Wilhelm Blitz is released from the concentration camp on April 19, 1939. He is able to follow his wife to Switzerland and together they emigrate via Genoa in Italy to New York in the United States of America, which they reach in November 1939. The properties and the art collection are 'aryanized' by the National Socialists. The construction company Helmuth Swietelsky was one of the profiteers of the properties and the art collection was auctioned off at the Dorotheum.

In the United States of America, Wilhelm and Gertrude Blitz experienced the liberation of Austria in April and May 1945 and the re-establishment of the Republic. They became US citizens, Wilhelm henceforth called himself 'William'. From the summer of 1945, William Blitz worked as an American officer in US Intelligence and moved to Berlin, where he served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Civil Service until 1953. He then remained in Berlin and campaigned for the restitution of aryanized assets.