Stolen Legacies: The Fight for Nazi Looted Art
Author Visit: Scarsdale Adult School via Zoom:
The Nazis stole more than art. They stole identity, history, and memory. Decades later, thousands of those artworks still hang in museums and private collections — not because their histories are unknown, but because laws permit institutions and third parties to retain them. In Stolen Legacies, prosecutor, author, and granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, Adena J. Bernstein explores the global failure to return Nazi-looted art. As she travels through thirteen countries, she shows how forced sales became legal transactions, how survivors were asked to prove the impossible, and how delays have replaced justice. Blending investigative history, legal analysis, and personal storytelling, Bernstein exposes a harsh truth: when possession is protected, accountability disappears. The book concludes by connecting art back to its human roots, with contemporary artists reflecting on why creation still matters after cultural devastation. Stolen Legacies is not about reclaiming the past. It is about determining what justice means today.
ADENA J. BERNSTEIN, the granddaughter of two Holocaust survivors, is an award-winning author, prosecutor, and speaker. Her debut award-winning book, Living Among the Dead, recounts her grandmother's Holocaust survival. Her second book, Stolen Legacies: The Fight for Nazi-Looted Art, examines unresolved Holocaust-era art theft through legal analysis, investigative history, and personal narrative. It received First Place in the Current Events category at the 2026 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. As a prosecutor, Bernstein has handled cases involving child sexual abuse, domestic violence, and public safety. She currently serves as an Assistant Attorney General in Arizona, overseeing foreign extraditions and leading statewide initiatives focused on fentanyl policy, prevention, and accountability.
Wednesday October 14, 11 am- 12 pm.
Fee: $40
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