Richard Semmel

Richard Semmel (September 15, 1875 – December 2, 1950) was a German entrepreneur and art collector who was persecuted by the Nazis because of his Jewish heritage.

He fled Germany for the Netherlands in 1933, selling some of his art collection at the Dutch auction house Frederik Muller & Cie. in Amsterdam on 21 November 1933.

[3] During the German occupation of the Netherlands, Semmel's brother died in the Dutch transit camp Westerbork.

[6] Semmel's collection featured Dutch Old Master paintings and works by French Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artists.

After the defeat of Nazi Germany, numerous attempts were made to recover artworks looted from Semmel or sold under duress.