It is hard to believe that the story of the monuments men has been largely untold for over sixty years. If you haven't heard about the exploits of 400+ men and women who saved countless art treasures from destruction and theft during World War Two, you will soon. No less than George Clooney is directing a major motion picture following the recent publishing of a book. Documentaries and more books are soon to follow.
Widespread looting by occupying forces, primarily the Nazis, and the destruction of significant structures was of major concern. In 1943 the Civil Affairs and Military Government section of the Army created the MFAA (Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives division). This group was manned by experts in art, architecture and history from the top museums and university in the United States. The reason was simple: safeguard the cultural and artistic treasures in the various theaters of war around the world.
Even before the U. S.'s formal declaration of war on the Axis nations in 1941, many in the art world began raising the issue of looting and theft of art and the possible destruction of cultural treasures. In response to an effort by a group lead by the head of the Met in New York, President Roosevelt established the American Commission for the Protection and Salvage of Historic Monument in War Areas. It was this commission and their findings which lead to the MFAA creation and the monuments men.
One very important task the group had to do was to alert Allied bomber pilots to the locations of culturally significant sites, such as monuments, buildings and outdoor sculptures. Using aerial reconnaissance photos, experts would mark and prioritize sites. In some cases bombing plans were completely re-worked to avoid destroying historic sections of a town.
Once Allied ground troops moved into Europe, men of MFAA would be attached to forward units to assess damage. Often they would shore up and temporarily repair structures until more permanent restoration work could be done. The teams would also interview local citizens to get information on missing artwork and try and determine locations of hiding places.
As the Nazis spread across Europe and other regions, they systematically looted the cultural treasures of many nations. Priceless art was also destroyed if it was deemed unacceptable by the cultural standards of Hitler and the Nazi leadership. The monuments men were also tasked with documenting which pieces had been destroyed as well.
As the Nazis swept through Europe and other countries, they systematically stole vast amounts of art, sculpture and treasure. Crates of these treasures were shipped back to Germany and hidden away. The MFAA was also credited with finding many of these hidden caches and liberating the artwork. It was truly something out of fiction and called the greatest treasure hunt in the history of man. Their detective work took them to the heights of the Bavarian Alps where over 1,000 works looted by Hermann Goering were found and to the depths of an Austrian salt mine where 6,500 works were recovered.
The story of the monuments men is truly fascinating as it combines all the elements of good tale. Mystery, excitement, bravery and justice. The new focus on these efforts has spawned not only a Hollywood film, but a number of newly produced books and documentaries. The interest is a testament to the work of the brave men and women in the MFAA and their dedication to preservation of great art.
Widespread looting by occupying forces, primarily the Nazis, and the destruction of significant structures was of major concern. In 1943 the Civil Affairs and Military Government section of the Army created the MFAA (Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives division). This group was manned by experts in art, architecture and history from the top museums and university in the United States. The reason was simple: safeguard the cultural and artistic treasures in the various theaters of war around the world.
Even before the U. S.'s formal declaration of war on the Axis nations in 1941, many in the art world began raising the issue of looting and theft of art and the possible destruction of cultural treasures. In response to an effort by a group lead by the head of the Met in New York, President Roosevelt established the American Commission for the Protection and Salvage of Historic Monument in War Areas. It was this commission and their findings which lead to the MFAA creation and the monuments men.
One very important task the group had to do was to alert Allied bomber pilots to the locations of culturally significant sites, such as monuments, buildings and outdoor sculptures. Using aerial reconnaissance photos, experts would mark and prioritize sites. In some cases bombing plans were completely re-worked to avoid destroying historic sections of a town.
Once Allied ground troops moved into Europe, men of MFAA would be attached to forward units to assess damage. Often they would shore up and temporarily repair structures until more permanent restoration work could be done. The teams would also interview local citizens to get information on missing artwork and try and determine locations of hiding places.
As the Nazis spread across Europe and other regions, they systematically looted the cultural treasures of many nations. Priceless art was also destroyed if it was deemed unacceptable by the cultural standards of Hitler and the Nazi leadership. The monuments men were also tasked with documenting which pieces had been destroyed as well.
As the Nazis swept through Europe and other countries, they systematically stole vast amounts of art, sculpture and treasure. Crates of these treasures were shipped back to Germany and hidden away. The MFAA was also credited with finding many of these hidden caches and liberating the artwork. It was truly something out of fiction and called the greatest treasure hunt in the history of man. Their detective work took them to the heights of the Bavarian Alps where over 1,000 works looted by Hermann Goering were found and to the depths of an Austrian salt mine where 6,500 works were recovered.
The story of the monuments men is truly fascinating as it combines all the elements of good tale. Mystery, excitement, bravery and justice. The new focus on these efforts has spawned not only a Hollywood film, but a number of newly produced books and documentaries. The interest is a testament to the work of the brave men and women in the MFAA and their dedication to preservation of great art.
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