Stealing Klimt
Stealing Klimt recounts Altmann's youth in early 20th century Vienna, her escape from the Nazis and her struggle to recover the five paintings.Altmann selected Randol Schoenberg, a Californian lawyer with an Austrian background, to represent her in her legal quest to recover the five Klimts.Altmann and Schoenberg were assisted by Hubertus Czernin, an Austrian journalist who had previously investigated and revealed the World War II activities of Kurt Waldheim, former President of Austria and UN Secretary General.Altmann's legal battle eventually ended up in the US Supreme Court where she had to face not only Austria but also the US State Department.The US Supreme Court gave jurisdiction over Austria and an Austrian arbitration panel then decided that the five paintings belonged to her.