Rep. Wesselhöft Invites Colleagues to Screening to Raise Awareness of Stolen Jewish Art


OKLAHOMA CITY – State Rep. Paul Wesselhöft, R-Moore, has invited 86 state representatives and senators to join him for a complimentary dinner and a special screening of the film, “Woman in Gold,” at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, April 28, in the balcony of the Warren Theatre.

“I want my legislative colleagues to understand the challenging litigation and emotional draining process that Jewish people are forced to go through to regain their art, which was stolen by the Nazis in WWII,” Wesselhöft commented in a release sent to CapitolBeatOK.

“Woman in Gold” is a true story. Ryan Reynolds plays the attorney, Randy Schoenberg and Helen Mirren plays his client, Maria Altmann.

Randy Schoenberg wrote, “In 2006, I was very fortunate to win an eight-year legal battle (won at the U.S. Supreme Court) to recover five Gustav Klimt paintings taken by the Nazis, which is the basis for the film, ‘woman in Gold.’ I have been repeatedly asked whether there are still other paintings yet to be returned to their rightful owners. The answer is, unfortunately yes.”

“Unfortunately for Oklahomans,” Wesselhöft said, “one of those paintings, ‘Shepherdess Bringing in the Sheep’ stolen by the Nazis in France during WWII is hanging in the Fred Jones, Jr. Museum at the University of Oklahoma.” 

Wesselhöft says the painting at the University of Oklahoma belongs to Leone Meyer, who is legally and emotionally fighting to recover her father’s painting.

State Rep. Leslie Osborn, R-Mustang, also stated support for the screening.

“This is a ‘must see’ movie depicting the true story of Maria Altman’s fight to recover her family’s art, which was plundered by the Nazis during WWII,” said Osborn, R-Mustang. “I hope my colleagues will take this opportunity to learn more about the history of the art that was confiscated during this dark era.”