Key Facts
Career & Education
About
David Toren (born Klaus-Günther Tarnowski, 1925-04-30 – 2020-04-19) was a Polish-American patent attorney, chemist, Holocaust survivor, real estate investor, and Nazi-looted art restitution claimant based in New York City. Born in prewar Breslau (now Wrocław, Poland) to a successful lawyer and community leader father, Toren enjoyed a privileged childhood disrupted by rising antisemitism in Europe. As a young boy, he was evacuated via Kindertransport to Sweden for safety, while his brother fled to Holland and then England just before the war. The family lost nearly everything, including an art collection owned by his uncle Max Eisler, looted by the Nazis. Emigrating to the United States in 1956 with less than $100, Toren built a successful career as a patent lawyer, chemist, real estate investor, and art collector. In later years, Toren gained prominence for his persistent efforts to recover Nazi-stolen artworks from his family's collection, successfully reclaiming pieces that resurfaced in private holdings. He was featured in media including the documentary 'We Are Jews from Breslau,' '60 Minutes,' and 'Imagine,' and his story was covered by outlets like The New York Times and NBC News. Toren died of COVID-19 in New York at age 94, leaving a legacy of resilience and justice-seeking.