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Rescuing Da Vinci: Hitler and the Nazis Stole Europe's Great Art - America and Her Allies Recovered It
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Monuments Men, which is now a major motion picture directed by and starring George Clooney, Rescuing Da Vinci uses 460 photographs to tell the story of the Monuments Men.
The Monuments Men were a group of 345 or so men and women from thirteen nations who comprised the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives section during World War II. Many were museum directors, curators, art historians and educators. Together they worked to protect monuments and other cultural treasures from the destruction of World War II. In the last year of the war, they tracked, located, and ultimately returned more than 5 million artistic and cultural items stolen by Hitler and the Nazis. Their role in preserving cultural treasures was without precedent.
The Monuments Men were a group of 345 or so men and women from thirteen nations who comprised the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives section during World War II. Many were museum directors, curators, art historians and educators. Together they worked to protect monuments and other cultural treasures from the destruction of World War II. In the last year of the war, they tracked, located, and ultimately returned more than 5 million artistic and cultural items stolen by Hitler and the Nazis. Their role in preserving cultural treasures was without precedent.
302 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
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About the author
Robert M. Edsel
16 books193 followersRobert M. Edsel is the best-selling author of Saving Italy, The Monuments Men and Rescuing da Vinci and co-producer of the award-winning documentary film The Rape of Europa. Edsel is also the founder and president of the Monuments Men Foundation, a recipient of the National Humanities Medal, and a trustee at the National WWII Museum. After living in Florence for five years, he now resides in Dallas, Texas.
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March 25, 2009
Having visited many museums in Europe, I always had questions in the back of my mind -- What did they do with the artwork during WWII? How did the Mona Lisa avoid being captured by the Germans? How did large statues that could not be moved avoid being damaged? Well, this book answers these questions. And WOW, does it answer them, with well written text and also with stunning pictures. I HIGHLY recommend it!!!
What was most fascinating about this book was to learn how many objects of art that I have seen or studied or been familiar with were removed to places of safe keeping, and it seems many more were stolen by the Nazis and placed in repositories in Germany. Photographs speaking dramatically of these events include the Winged Victory of Samothrace under a gallows type scaffold as it is hoisted and removed from the Louvre to avoid destruction or theft by the Nazis. (made my hair stand up on end to see it hoisted thus!) The photograph of the empty Louvre is chilling, as is the picture of the empty frames on the wall in the Hermitage "Rembrandt Room". Seeing a picture of a painting from the Louvre by Gericault at 16 x 23 feet in size being tangled in the trolley line wires in Versailles shows how difficult it was to move these large art treasures to places of safe keeping!
In "Setting the Stage" (chapter 1), the author shows how Hitler planned the systematic theft of art from around Europe to be included in an art museum built in his hometown of Linz. Thus began the next 7 years of such "acquisition" or theft of various paintings / sculptures / tapestries / furniture by the Nazis.
Chapter 2, "Preparation" shows how those who were geographically close to Germany saw the early danger signals and museum directors and curators began removing art collections into storage or safe areas.
In Spain during the fall of 1936, the collections of the Prado Museum in Madrid were taken down and stored on the ground floor as there was no basement storage. Art treasures by El Greco, Rogier van der Weyden, and Diego Velasquez (among others) were moved from El Escorial, the monastery near Madrid and the palace of King Philip II to Valencia. Later they were moved to a castle near Barcelona and finally to Geneva for a 1939 exhibition at the Museum of Art and History.
In England, preparations began in 1938 to establish repositories in Wales which seemed a safe distance from German bombing. When France fell in June 1940, these repositories were within bombing distance, so an underground solution was sought, the Manod Quarry in Wales. The Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Museum, and the Tate Gallery all sent collections there. This was fortuitous, as all these museums and the National Gallery were hit repeatedly and severely damaged by Germans bombs.
In Italy, many immovable objects such as the Leonardo da Vinci fresco "The Last Supper" in Milan were braced with structural supports and faced with protective boards further weighted in place by sandbags. Massive sculptures were disassembled where possible and hidden. Paintings were taken out of frames and rolled up like maps. Entire structures, such as the 4th century Arch of Constantine in Rome, were encased in structural supports of wood, steel, sandbags, and brick.
France and Holland were Germany's next door neighbors. As early as 1937 museum officials had made priority lists of items and identified churches and chateaux that could serve as storage facilities in case of evacuation.
After the surprise attack on Poland on Sept 1, 1939, officials were made aware of the theft of historic works from Poland. The theft of the massive altarpiece by Veit Stoss in the church of Our Lady in Cracow was especially prominent.
In France, extraordinary lengths were taken to hide masterpieces such as the "Mona Lisa", which lived for several years on the move, being moved at least 6 times in the course of the war.
Germany's attack on Russia in 1941 pushed authorities there into a time of scramble as they sought to preserve palaces and treasures from the oncoming Germany army. The officials at the Hermitage Museum had to protect almost 2 MILLION art objects. In less than a month after the German attack, more than half a million art objects had been loaded onto railcars to Siberia.
Chapter 3, "War Arrives" shows in dramatic photographs and text the devastation that Poland, Rotterdam, Paris, London, Athens, and Leningrad experienced. In Poland, a set of photographs accompany the explanation that the Nazi policy was to erase Poland's history or art, writers, and composers. The monument of Poland's greatest poet, Adam Mickiewiez, is shown being pushed over by German laborers. A bronze monument to Poland's greatest musician, Chopin, is shown in pieces on a railcar headed to the smelter. The now famous pictures of destruction in London include Winston Churchill surveying the dramatic damage to the House of Commons (the roof is gone and the inside is all rubble) and also of Queen Elizabeth and King George IV as they inspect damage to Buckingham Palace while scrambling over rubble.
Chapter 4 "Theft by Any Other Name" documents the extent to which the Nazis had planned their acquisition of art objects. Pages from catalogs of artworks to be "obtained" are shown, some now of paintings lost or perhaps destroyed. In Italy, the Germans "helped" protect artwork being transferred from Naples to the Abbey of Monte Cassino. Only later was it discovered that large numbers of art objects were never delivered to the Abbey, but were found later in a repository in Austria.
Chapter 5 "Heroes and Heroines" is a wonderful chapter, finally putting names and faces to the brave men and women, mostly led by Americans and a key group of British offices, who at great personal sacrifice made every effort to protect the cultural treasures of others. Without their actions, a huge majority of European artwork would have been lost, destroyed, or otherwise erased from our culture. Officially, the "Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives" program (MFAA) was put in place originally to identify major art objects and culturally important buildings and statues so that they could be protected. They also provided maps to the Allied bombers, so that these treasures could be avoided and NOT be bombed. After the war ended, these men and women continued their work in the location of over 1,000 German repositories containing thousands upon thousands of stolen art objects.
The discovery of various treasure troves is described in chapter 5, "Treasure Troves". The castle at Neuchwanstein, "Mad Ludwig" of Bavaria's Cinderella castle was host to stolen art from France and was used as a depot to transfer art to other hiding places. Alt Aussee in Austria was a salt mine where thousands of art objects were hidden by the Nazis. Art objects saved? Giotto's "Ognissanti Madonna", Botticelli's "La Primavera", "Equestrian Portrait of Philip IV of Spain", Manet's "In the Conservatory", Rembrandt's "Self Portrait c 1650", the "Bruges Madonna" by MIchaelangelo, the "Ghent Altarpiece" by Jan van Eyck, Vermeer's "The Astronomer"... and the list goes on!
Chapter 7 describes the "Collecting Points" where art that was found could be returned and then the process of returning it to the owners could be carried out. Then in Chapter 8, "Homeward Bound" describes the involved process of returning these treasures to their rightful owners and putting back art objects that had been hidden. "The Winged Lion of St. Mark" was put back on the column in Venice. The "Mona Lisa" was put back in the Louvre. Rodin's "The Burghers of Calais" was moved from Munich back to Paris. The 300 stolen streetcars from Amsterdam were returned from storage by the Germans in Bremen. (??? they stole streetcars?!????) "The Lion of Isted" was retrieved from Berlin and returned to Denmark. And the Veit Stoss "St. Mary Altarpiece" was returned to Cracow.
In Chapter 9, "Casualties of War", I learned something. Major General Choltitz, German Commander of Paris, was ordered to destroy Paris when he retreated. He is quoted as saying , "It is always my lot to defend the rear of the German Army. And each time it happens I am ordered to destroy each city as I leave it." Fortunately, Hitler's orders were ignored, thus saving the city from devastation.
In the "Epilogue", ongoing recovery of lost art objects continues. The websites www.rescuingdavinci.com and www.rapeofeuropa.com have information about the Monuments Men and their work, and how artwork is continuing to show up here and there as access to the internet makes it easier to return stolen art to owners.
I HIGHLY recommend this book. It made me even more proud of the American's who fought in WWII. It has been the norm in battles that art objects land in the hands of the victor. In no other situation have these art objects been protected, fought for, rescued, and then returned to their owners. This is a heritage to be thankful for, and proud of. I can visit these museums in Europe now, knowing the wonderful work carried out by Americans to preserve the cultural history of Europe.
What was most fascinating about this book was to learn how many objects of art that I have seen or studied or been familiar with were removed to places of safe keeping, and it seems many more were stolen by the Nazis and placed in repositories in Germany. Photographs speaking dramatically of these events include the Winged Victory of Samothrace under a gallows type scaffold as it is hoisted and removed from the Louvre to avoid destruction or theft by the Nazis. (made my hair stand up on end to see it hoisted thus!) The photograph of the empty Louvre is chilling, as is the picture of the empty frames on the wall in the Hermitage "Rembrandt Room". Seeing a picture of a painting from the Louvre by Gericault at 16 x 23 feet in size being tangled in the trolley line wires in Versailles shows how difficult it was to move these large art treasures to places of safe keeping!
In "Setting the Stage" (chapter 1), the author shows how Hitler planned the systematic theft of art from around Europe to be included in an art museum built in his hometown of Linz. Thus began the next 7 years of such "acquisition" or theft of various paintings / sculptures / tapestries / furniture by the Nazis.
Chapter 2, "Preparation" shows how those who were geographically close to Germany saw the early danger signals and museum directors and curators began removing art collections into storage or safe areas.
In Spain during the fall of 1936, the collections of the Prado Museum in Madrid were taken down and stored on the ground floor as there was no basement storage. Art treasures by El Greco, Rogier van der Weyden, and Diego Velasquez (among others) were moved from El Escorial, the monastery near Madrid and the palace of King Philip II to Valencia. Later they were moved to a castle near Barcelona and finally to Geneva for a 1939 exhibition at the Museum of Art and History.
In England, preparations began in 1938 to establish repositories in Wales which seemed a safe distance from German bombing. When France fell in June 1940, these repositories were within bombing distance, so an underground solution was sought, the Manod Quarry in Wales. The Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Museum, and the Tate Gallery all sent collections there. This was fortuitous, as all these museums and the National Gallery were hit repeatedly and severely damaged by Germans bombs.
In Italy, many immovable objects such as the Leonardo da Vinci fresco "The Last Supper" in Milan were braced with structural supports and faced with protective boards further weighted in place by sandbags. Massive sculptures were disassembled where possible and hidden. Paintings were taken out of frames and rolled up like maps. Entire structures, such as the 4th century Arch of Constantine in Rome, were encased in structural supports of wood, steel, sandbags, and brick.
France and Holland were Germany's next door neighbors. As early as 1937 museum officials had made priority lists of items and identified churches and chateaux that could serve as storage facilities in case of evacuation.
After the surprise attack on Poland on Sept 1, 1939, officials were made aware of the theft of historic works from Poland. The theft of the massive altarpiece by Veit Stoss in the church of Our Lady in Cracow was especially prominent.
In France, extraordinary lengths were taken to hide masterpieces such as the "Mona Lisa", which lived for several years on the move, being moved at least 6 times in the course of the war.
Germany's attack on Russia in 1941 pushed authorities there into a time of scramble as they sought to preserve palaces and treasures from the oncoming Germany army. The officials at the Hermitage Museum had to protect almost 2 MILLION art objects. In less than a month after the German attack, more than half a million art objects had been loaded onto railcars to Siberia.
Chapter 3, "War Arrives" shows in dramatic photographs and text the devastation that Poland, Rotterdam, Paris, London, Athens, and Leningrad experienced. In Poland, a set of photographs accompany the explanation that the Nazi policy was to erase Poland's history or art, writers, and composers. The monument of Poland's greatest poet, Adam Mickiewiez, is shown being pushed over by German laborers. A bronze monument to Poland's greatest musician, Chopin, is shown in pieces on a railcar headed to the smelter. The now famous pictures of destruction in London include Winston Churchill surveying the dramatic damage to the House of Commons (the roof is gone and the inside is all rubble) and also of Queen Elizabeth and King George IV as they inspect damage to Buckingham Palace while scrambling over rubble.
Chapter 4 "Theft by Any Other Name" documents the extent to which the Nazis had planned their acquisition of art objects. Pages from catalogs of artworks to be "obtained" are shown, some now of paintings lost or perhaps destroyed. In Italy, the Germans "helped" protect artwork being transferred from Naples to the Abbey of Monte Cassino. Only later was it discovered that large numbers of art objects were never delivered to the Abbey, but were found later in a repository in Austria.
Chapter 5 "Heroes and Heroines" is a wonderful chapter, finally putting names and faces to the brave men and women, mostly led by Americans and a key group of British offices, who at great personal sacrifice made every effort to protect the cultural treasures of others. Without their actions, a huge majority of European artwork would have been lost, destroyed, or otherwise erased from our culture. Officially, the "Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives" program (MFAA) was put in place originally to identify major art objects and culturally important buildings and statues so that they could be protected. They also provided maps to the Allied bombers, so that these treasures could be avoided and NOT be bombed. After the war ended, these men and women continued their work in the location of over 1,000 German repositories containing thousands upon thousands of stolen art objects.
The discovery of various treasure troves is described in chapter 5, "Treasure Troves". The castle at Neuchwanstein, "Mad Ludwig" of Bavaria's Cinderella castle was host to stolen art from France and was used as a depot to transfer art to other hiding places. Alt Aussee in Austria was a salt mine where thousands of art objects were hidden by the Nazis. Art objects saved? Giotto's "Ognissanti Madonna", Botticelli's "La Primavera", "Equestrian Portrait of Philip IV of Spain", Manet's "In the Conservatory", Rembrandt's "Self Portrait c 1650", the "Bruges Madonna" by MIchaelangelo, the "Ghent Altarpiece" by Jan van Eyck, Vermeer's "The Astronomer"... and the list goes on!
Chapter 7 describes the "Collecting Points" where art that was found could be returned and then the process of returning it to the owners could be carried out. Then in Chapter 8, "Homeward Bound" describes the involved process of returning these treasures to their rightful owners and putting back art objects that had been hidden. "The Winged Lion of St. Mark" was put back on the column in Venice. The "Mona Lisa" was put back in the Louvre. Rodin's "The Burghers of Calais" was moved from Munich back to Paris. The 300 stolen streetcars from Amsterdam were returned from storage by the Germans in Bremen. (??? they stole streetcars?!????) "The Lion of Isted" was retrieved from Berlin and returned to Denmark. And the Veit Stoss "St. Mary Altarpiece" was returned to Cracow.
In Chapter 9, "Casualties of War", I learned something. Major General Choltitz, German Commander of Paris, was ordered to destroy Paris when he retreated. He is quoted as saying , "It is always my lot to defend the rear of the German Army. And each time it happens I am ordered to destroy each city as I leave it." Fortunately, Hitler's orders were ignored, thus saving the city from devastation.
In the "Epilogue", ongoing recovery of lost art objects continues. The websites www.rescuingdavinci.com and www.rapeofeuropa.com have information about the Monuments Men and their work, and how artwork is continuing to show up here and there as access to the internet makes it easier to return stolen art to owners.
I HIGHLY recommend this book. It made me even more proud of the American's who fought in WWII. It has been the norm in battles that art objects land in the hands of the victor. In no other situation have these art objects been protected, fought for, rescued, and then returned to their owners. This is a heritage to be thankful for, and proud of. I can visit these museums in Europe now, knowing the wonderful work carried out by Americans to preserve the cultural history of Europe.
April 24, 2014
Before writing The Monuments Men, Robert Edsel wrote Rescuing Da Vinci -- a collection of nearly 500 photos and accompanying text. This remarkable volume visually brings to life the assignment that a small group of soldiers undertook. The nearly impossible task of locating, sorting, and returning the millions of pieces of artwork, sculpture, jewelry, religious items, furniture, and books which were looted by the Nazis, took years to accomplish. In some instances, the work is still in process.
Included in this book, are copies of some of the original communications sent by Hitler, Eisenhower and other officials. One of the directives sent by Hitler in the waning days of the war, ordered the destruction of the city of Paris. Not one building or monument was to be left standing. Thankfully the German general in charge of the operation chose to ignore Hitler’s directive.
I was enthralled by this book. It traces, in detail, the entire scene of events. Beginning with the urgency of prewar preparation to protect artwork, the actual looting and destruction that occurred during the war, to the job of trying to recover the objects, Edsel’s account was mesmerizing.
Anyone interested in World War II history as well as art lovers should read this amazing book.
Included in this book, are copies of some of the original communications sent by Hitler, Eisenhower and other officials. One of the directives sent by Hitler in the waning days of the war, ordered the destruction of the city of Paris. Not one building or monument was to be left standing. Thankfully the German general in charge of the operation chose to ignore Hitler’s directive.
I was enthralled by this book. It traces, in detail, the entire scene of events. Beginning with the urgency of prewar preparation to protect artwork, the actual looting and destruction that occurred during the war, to the job of trying to recover the objects, Edsel’s account was mesmerizing.
Anyone interested in World War II history as well as art lovers should read this amazing book.
May 2, 2009
An interesting book about the greatest cultural theft and looting in world history done by the Nazis, who stole every painting, sculpture and etching they could get their hands on from 1938 to 1945 throughout most of Europe. Thousands of art objects were looted from museums and private collections by the Germans and shipped back to the Reich to grace the houses of top Nazis, especially Herman Goering, whose country estate had almost 20,000 paintings and statues. Especially hard hit were Poland and Russia, whose museums and churches were stripped and sent back to Germany. Cities like St. Petersburg and Warsaw were ordered to be totally destroyed. During the German occupation of Poland, statues of Polish composers, historical figures and poets were ripped down and melted for armaments and their universities and schools shut in order to destroy forever Slavic culture. It's a very disturbing book, but amazing too, in describing how many artworks (such as Michelangelo's "David" in Florence) were saved from destruction in ingenious ways, like walling them up with bricks and mortar or transporting them to salt mines. The Mona Lisa was moved secretly throughout France to seven different locations and avoided being stolen. Even before the end of the war the allies created a monuments and artworks bureau composed of art history scholars to locate and identify paintings and other works of art that were haphazardly stored and scattered as the Nazi regime collapsed. They even stole the streetcars in Amsterdam and sent them to Germany!
The greatest artworks were to be placed in "The Fuhrer Museum" that Hitler planned to build in his Austrian hometown of Linz.
This book gave alot of insight into another aspect of World War II that is sometimes overlooked: the cultural rape of a continent by the Nazis. Joseph Goebbels said that "history will remember us as the greatest statesmen in history, or the worst criminals." I'll go with the latter.
The greatest artworks were to be placed in "The Fuhrer Museum" that Hitler planned to build in his Austrian hometown of Linz.
This book gave alot of insight into another aspect of World War II that is sometimes overlooked: the cultural rape of a continent by the Nazis. Joseph Goebbels said that "history will remember us as the greatest statesmen in history, or the worst criminals." I'll go with the latter.
March 20, 2009
This book captures the legendary efforts of brave, average people who clearly see themselves as citizens of the world in the noblest sense, to protect, preserve, find, and rightfully return great art treasures. All the great elements are in there - really evil villains, truly heroic efforts and ingenuity, dogged detective work, and common courageous people. Strong on visuals (as it should be for a book about great art!), Resucing Da Vinci has great archival photographs illustrating the rescue efforts and lists of treasures destroyed or still unaccounted for. The book mirrors the work depicted in the amazing documentary film The Rape of Europa
March 20, 2007
this is my token coffee table book.
August 11, 2008
Holy crap on a stick, batman. I ate this book for breakfast and belched with complete satisfaction -- that is, I've been telling everyone I know about it. It's just plain captivating.
It's a WWII story that doesn't get a whole lot of attention in the face of the actual war, the atrocities and other stories of aftermath, but it's well worth gaining the extra layer of that incredible time. Contrary to the title, it's not just about what the Nazis stole. It's also about what they couldn't get their grubby hands on because of the mass last-minute mobilization to hide, remove and protect art from all over Europe, an effort without which we wouldn't have some of the masterpieces we still have today.
Probably one of the best features is the stock-pile of photographs, because it was all very well documented: the Nazis documented everything since they thought they were going to win; the allies documented everything because they hoped to win and then did.
It's a WWII story that doesn't get a whole lot of attention in the face of the actual war, the atrocities and other stories of aftermath, but it's well worth gaining the extra layer of that incredible time. Contrary to the title, it's not just about what the Nazis stole. It's also about what they couldn't get their grubby hands on because of the mass last-minute mobilization to hide, remove and protect art from all over Europe, an effort without which we wouldn't have some of the masterpieces we still have today.
Probably one of the best features is the stock-pile of photographs, because it was all very well documented: the Nazis documented everything since they thought they were going to win; the allies documented everything because they hoped to win and then did.
November 11, 2009
This is a mostly pictorial book. It's fascinating to learn of the admirable lengths Europe went to protect art during WWII as well as the Allies recovery of art plundered and hoarded by the Nazis. It makes you wonder if Hitler had put as much effort into fighting the war as he did to amassing art and destroying cultural icons the Nazi's might have won. Frightening, to say the least. Looking forward to reading Edsel's new book "The Monuments Men : Allied Heros, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History." I heard him discussing it on a radio program a few weeks ago. It's the account of the individuals who were involved in the recovery. Just waiting through the 33 holds at the library. ho hum.
September 19, 2012
Sorry to disappoint, but the title has nothing to do with "The DaVinci Code." This book covers the subject of the deliberate art theft committed by the architects of the Third Reich. It is a fascinating story of the men in uniform, mostly American and British, that made the effort to recover cultural relics that were stolen, and also to prevent the destruction of architectural treasures as the Allies advanced into Europe. No education in art history is complete without reading this book. No education in military history is complete without reading this book. Here is where the two dovetail.
September 22, 2009
Splendid coffee table book.
However, Edsel doesn't follow through with more historical information on paintings and members of the MFAA. It had the potential to be a much better account of what happened to our worlds masterpieces during WWII. This book could've been one of it's kind in the history of art, but sadly, it fell short.
I still believe it's a beautifully illustrated book worth reading and owning.
November 11, 2007
One of several books I've read recently about the rescue of art stolen by the Nazis, this tells more about the US Army unit assigned to the daunting task of identifying and returning the works to their rightful owners.
May 10, 2008
This is almost a companion piece to the documentary and book RAPE OF EUROPA; this is really a coffee-table photo book of the people, the places, and artworks. Ideally, I'd love to see this book combined with ROE, as having the visuals to go with the text would have been preferrable for both.
May 8, 2008
A great history of the looting of art museums and of personal property throughout Europe and Russia by Hitler and the Nazis during WWII. The extent of the theft or distruction of millions of pieces of priceless artwork is mind boggling! The pictures alone tell an incredible story.
April 25, 2009
the extent of the art thefts by Germany is astounding. Hilter's plan was and remains to this day astounding to the human mind. Thankfully there continues to be help to recover the missing art.
How sad - nothing can replace the artworks destroyed labeled "degenerate"
How sad - nothing can replace the artworks destroyed labeled "degenerate"
April 28, 2009
Very interesting book that explores how great works of art were preserved and recovered during WWII. I had no idea of the extreme measure taken by the allied forces to protect the masterpeices of Da Vinci and many great artisits.
September 19, 2007
Very interesting but lesser-known story of WWII. The pictures are the highlight.
August 28, 2009
Wonderful photographs. Not too much actual history about the war, except as it relates to art preservation.
September 22, 2009
The photographs in and of themselves were mesmerizing. If it is not required reading in every high school across the country - it should be.
October 21, 2009
A great book explaining what happened to the art work in Europe during World War II. It has a lot of great pictures so you can actually see what paintings you are reading about.
November 17, 2023
A fascinating book giving a different perspective of World War II through the view of Art. Well worth the look and loaded with lots of wonderful pictures. You should read this.
May 4, 2022
Today’s post is on Rescuing Da Vinci by Robert M. Edsel. It is 302 pages long and is published by Laurel Publishing, LLC. The cover is a picture of some monument men with a Da Vinci. There is no foul language, no sexuality, and no violence in this book. The intended reader is someone who is interested in world war 2 history and art. There Be Spoilers Ahead.
From the back of the book- Tells the story of Monuments Men who during and following World War II, served behind enemy lines and joined frontline military units to ensure the preservation, protection, and restitution of the world's greatest artistic and cultural treasures. This book includes their heroics and exploits in rescuing and safeguarding the world's great artworks.
Review- This is a great book about lesser known world war 2 history. As Europe was being freed, the Allies learned that the Nazis were stealing art and taking it back to Berlin for Hitler. So concerned museums, artists, and others involved in art formed a group to protect and find the stolen art. They were called the Monuments Men. This book is a pictorial history of the work that those men did. Each chapter started with a little explanation about where in the war the reader is and what the monuments men were trying to find and safe. This was a great book and the full page pictures really help the reader understand what the monuments men and why they worked so hard to safe the art.
I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.
From the back of the book- Tells the story of Monuments Men who during and following World War II, served behind enemy lines and joined frontline military units to ensure the preservation, protection, and restitution of the world's greatest artistic and cultural treasures. This book includes their heroics and exploits in rescuing and safeguarding the world's great artworks.
Review- This is a great book about lesser known world war 2 history. As Europe was being freed, the Allies learned that the Nazis were stealing art and taking it back to Berlin for Hitler. So concerned museums, artists, and others involved in art formed a group to protect and find the stolen art. They were called the Monuments Men. This book is a pictorial history of the work that those men did. Each chapter started with a little explanation about where in the war the reader is and what the monuments men were trying to find and safe. This was a great book and the full page pictures really help the reader understand what the monuments men and why they worked so hard to safe the art.
I give this book a Five out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.
February 14, 2022
After reading "When Books Went to War" and "Monuments Men" last year this was a good addition. This large book with plenty of photos taken during and after WW II, provides further narrative and details on this fascinating aspect of seeking to preserve the artworks of Europe during the war. Hitler was determined to destroy or confiscate as much artwork as possible.
Though Hitler’s father was totally opposed to the idea, Hitler wanted to be an artist. His exam results at Vienna’s Academy of Fine Arts in 1907 were inadequate by the jurors, several of whom were Jewish. He was denied admittance to retake the exam. He created several thousand drawings and paintings, designed buildings, and eventually drew plans for a massive museum complex for Linz, Austria, his hometown.
The largest and most important discovery of stolen artworks was in Alt Aussee, Austria, in a salt mine near Salzburg where 6,500 paintings were found by Monuments Men. It took more than 3 months to empty it.
Over the next few years more than a thousand hiding places were discovered by Allied forces, often times from a tip from local residents.
Though Hitler’s father was totally opposed to the idea, Hitler wanted to be an artist. His exam results at Vienna’s Academy of Fine Arts in 1907 were inadequate by the jurors, several of whom were Jewish. He was denied admittance to retake the exam. He created several thousand drawings and paintings, designed buildings, and eventually drew plans for a massive museum complex for Linz, Austria, his hometown.
The largest and most important discovery of stolen artworks was in Alt Aussee, Austria, in a salt mine near Salzburg where 6,500 paintings were found by Monuments Men. It took more than 3 months to empty it.
Over the next few years more than a thousand hiding places were discovered by Allied forces, often times from a tip from local residents.
December 30, 2019
I read this book from the library after seeing it in the bookstore at the World War II Museum in New Orleans. I read Monuments Men by the same author and thoroughly enjoyed it. This book includes much the same information, however, each chapter is documented with pictures that illustrate the points made. For example, Monuments Men discusses the steps taken to protect artworks such as the Last Supper window in Milan and the David statute in Florence. This book shows the protection when built and the results--how the artworks withstood the bombing. The story of how great works in Europe were either protected in place or stolen by the Nazis and hidden, and then of how the American soldiers who at home were art historians worked to save, locate, catalog and return the art is one of the most inspiring and uplifting stories from World War II. It is a story that is still being written as works of art continue to be uncovered. It was a uplifting book on which to end my 2019 reading journey.
March 5, 2018
Another excellent book on World War 2 systematic looting of art by the Nazis. The Monuments Men are my heroes, and I wish I had had the knowledge about the provenance of those art works when I was fortunate enough to see some of them. These accounts have in many ways illuminated, for me, the values and strengths of Europeans who struggled through the war. It is uplifting to see (on one side) the willingness of these people to fight for the culture of their countries and the world. There is a parallel, I think, in the struggles of various cultures within our contemporary societies.
This book is at least 50 percent photographs, and is a great refresher course in art history. It really makes you want to know more! I've already started another book on the subject.
This book is at least 50 percent photographs, and is a great refresher course in art history. It really makes you want to know more! I've already started another book on the subject.
August 1, 2022
Fascinating story of the efforts to preserve the works of art during ww2 and of scale of the looting that went on. Excellent photographs. I really liked that the old photos were paired with color pictures of the art pieces as they look now. The author went too easy on the soviets and their looting after the war, though. Barely mentioned that many pieces that went "missing" after the fall of Berlin suddenly reappeared in Russia in the 90s. Like Priam's treasure from Troy that showed in Russia in 1994. Russia now legalized the looting and prevents the pieces to be returned to their owners.
January 14, 2024
I really enjoyed how this book was broken down. Not only did you get a informational section, you also got images to go along with it. I found it extremely helpful to have already read the Monument Men because I knew a lot of players of the game, had a deeper understanding of events instead of the brief overview and have the more in-depth experience of learning how they came about certain elements in history! All and all, another excellent addition to educating the world about how art was protected and saved in WWII!
September 5, 2017
This book was written prior to Monuments Men and is primarily a collection of historic photographs documenting the efforts of the Monuments, Fine Arts & Archives men and women in restoring the art of Europe that had been looted by the Germans in World War II. It is a great book and richly compliments Monuments Men and I'm sure Robert Edsel's other book on rescuing the art of Italy which is on my list to read.
May 7, 2017
An interesting way to trace Da Vinci's art as it was hidden from Nazi theft. Having visited where Mona Lisa was hidden during WW II, it's always to read the background of a massive operation to save the art of major European museums.
April 10, 2018
Five stars for the pictures, three stars for the prose, which was not very engaging, especially considering how fascinating the subject (the fate of historical monuments and works of art during and after WWII) is. I wanted more detail and more linking the parts of the story together.
March 26, 2020
Beautiful picture book of what The Monuments Men were able to accomplish.
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November 23, 2021Lots of fascinating pictures, definitely worth reading if you're interested in art theft or Nazi plunder.
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