 The Berlin Regional Director of the Reich Chamber of Visual Arts, Artur Schmidt, successfully intervened several times on Gurlitt's behalf and reduced the amount demanded by the creditors, while Gurlitt ran his affairs in the name of his divorced first wife Julia.He also managed to conceal his partial Jewish descent until 1938, while other members of his family had already had to emigrate.In 1940 however the Gestapo were charged with an investigation of his case.