Abraham Freundlich (1861-1938) established one of the leading companies for the manufacture of refrigeration technology in Düsseldorf, which was known as Maschinenfabrik A. Freundlich GmbH & Co. KG (MAF), which shaped the industry for decades with its technologies. His son Erich (1889-1965) and his son-in-law Dr. Otto Markus (1889-1965) joined the company and took over its management in 1925.

The research project focuses on approximately 300 works of art, including paintings, graphic works, and sculptures, which were collected by Abraham Freundlich and his family. Abraham Freundlich was interested in paintings from the “Düsseldorf School,” such as works by Max Clarenbach, Fritz von Wille, Hugo Mühlig, Fritz Roeber, and Theo Champion; he also owned a drawing by Rembrandt.

Otto Markus and his wife Hildegard Leonie supported the lively art scene in Düsseldorf, became members of the Düsseldorf artists’ association “Der Malkasten” and befriended artists. These friends included the painter Hans Kohlschein, the sculptor Jupp Rübsam, and the architect Heinrich Roskotten.

Erich Freundlich also collected works from the “Düsseldorf School,” sculptures by Jupp Rübsam, and drawings.

From 1933 onwards, the Freundlich and Markus families were persecuted as Jews. In March 1936, Erich Freundlich and Otto Markus called a meeting of the company’s staff to inform them that the family had been forced to sell MAF at an unreasonably low price to an “Aryan” buyer, the Essen merchant Hermann Helm, who came from the Krupp circle. Abraham Freundlich died on October 6, 1938, in Düsseldorf. On November 9 and 10, 1938, his apartment and the apartment of his daughter Hildegard and her husband Otto Markus were vandalized and looted. Among the looted items were works of art, as evidenced by lists from the compensation and restitution proceedings. Abraham Freundlich’s house was sold under duress in February 1939, as were the houses of Otto Markus and Erich Freundlich.

Most members of the family managed to emigrate. Erich Freundlich emigrated to the USA with his son and wife in the summer of 1939. The household goods were confiscated in Bremen. It consisted of two lift vans, one of which was destroyed in a bombing raid and the other auctioned off by the Gestapo. In addition to the library, the belongings included paintings and drawings, carpets, furniture, sculptures, and photographs. There were approximately 30 works of art among the belongings. Three works of art were removed from the belongings on the orders of the Reich Chamber of Fine Arts.

Otto Markus emigrated to Great Britain with his wife and children. His family’s belongings were confiscated by the Wehrmacht’s Field Command 520 at the port and customs warehouse in Antwerp.

In addition to reconstructing the collections, the project focuses on investigating the confiscation of the collections from 1933 onwards and the whereabouts of the artworks.

In a special exhibition at the Düsseldorf Memorial and Memorial Site entitled ”Innovative, Successful, Jewish”  (November 1, 2024 to October 2025), information about the work of Abraham Freundlich and his company was presented.