When Hitler came to power in Germany, Stern was persecuted due to her Jewish heritage. As mandated by the Nazi's September 1935
Nuremberg Laws, Hedwig Stern was stripped of her German citizenship. In December, she and her husband Fritz fled Munich, leaving behind the art collection. The Sterns successfully escaped Germany in December 1936, arriving in New York in early January 1937. Afterward, they relocated to Berkeley, then Pasadena . One of the painting left behin was
Olive Picking (1889) by Vincent van Gogh. Hedwig's attorney, Kurt Mosbacher, was instructed to liquidate her assets, and
Olive Picking was listed among the items for disposal. == Claims for restitution ==