The Orpheus Clock: The Search for My Family S Art Treasures Stolen by the Nazis

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This passionate true story follows one man's quest to reclaim his family's stolen art collection and restore their legacy. Simon Goodman's grandparents, part of prominent German Jewish banking dynasties, perished in concentration camps, leaving Simon with scant knowledge of his family's history. After his father's death, he discovered papers that unveiled the Gutmanns' rise from a small Bohemian village to a powerful banking family, amassing a world-class art collection featuring masterpieces by Degas, Renoir, and Botticelli, as well as a Renaissance clock depicting the legend of Orpheus. The Nazis seized everything the Gutmanns had built, including their art, wealth, and lives. Growing up in London, Simon was unaware of his father's efforts to recover their possessions until he began piecing together the story of their stolen legacy and the Nazi looting machine. He learned that much of the collection had ended up with Hitler and Göring, while other pieces were smuggled, sold, or absorbed into European government collections. Through meticulous detective work across two continents, Simon proved many pieces belonged to his family and successfully secured their return, marking the first Nazi looting case settled in the U.S. His dramatic journey reveals a rich family history nearly erased by the Nazis, offering an unforgettable tale of redemption and restoration.