Portrait looted by Nazis found in home of Dutch SS leader's family

"Portrait of a Young Girl, by the Dutch artist Toon Kelder, is believed to have hung for decades in the home of Hendrik Seyffardt's family, Arthur Brand said, describing it as the most bizarre case of my entire career. The case has drawn parallels to a find that made global headlines in 2025, when an 18th-century Nazi-looted painting also from the collection of the late Jewish art dealer Jacques Goudstikker featured in a property ad in Argentina."

"Brand said he was approached by a man who had recently uncovered two disturbing family secrets: he was descended from Seyffardt and his family had displayed looted art for years. The relative, who wanted to remain anonymous, told Brand he had seen the painting hanging in the hallway of Seyffardt's granddaughter. Seyffardt, one of the highest-ranking Dutch collaborators with the Nazis, commanded a Waffen-SS unit of volunteers on the eastern front before being assassinated by resistance fighters in 1943."

"According to Brand, Seyffardt's granddaughter initially said the painting was Jewish looted art, stolen from Goudstikker. It is unsellable. Don't tell anyone. However, the family member wanted the story to go public and contacted Brand, who has solved numerous high-profile cases of stolen art. The family member told De Telegraaf: I feel ashamed. The painting should be returned to the heirs of Goudstikker."

"According to the Dutch daily newspaper, the family was discussing whether the painting should be returned to the Goudstikker heirs, adding that they had not known it was looted. I received it from my mother. Now that you confront me like this, I understand that Goudstikker's heirs want the painting back. I didn't know that, a relative was"

Portrait of a Young Girl by Toon Kelder, looted by the Nazis from the Goudstikker collection, has been found in the home of descendants of Hendrik Seyffardt, a notorious Dutch SS collaborator. An art detective says the painting likely hung for decades in the hallway of Seyffardt’s granddaughter. The detective was contacted by an anonymous relative who uncovered family secrets and reported that the painting was displayed for years. The granddaughter initially claimed it was Jewish looted art and said it was unsellable, but later the family began discussing returning it to the Goudstikker heirs. Seyffardt commanded a Waffen-SS volunteer unit on the eastern front and was assassinated in 1943, with a Nazi state funeral held in The Hague.

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