The Rape of Europa

Nearly a month ago, on July 6th, the Kemper Art Museum hosted one of their regular summer events, Friday Nights at the Kemper. This series occurs one evening each month and consists of a gallery talk, live music on the sculpture plaza, and then a film screening. On July 6th, the film presented was a 2006 documentary entitled The Rape of Europa. It chronicles the cultural destruction and looting of precious artworks committed by the Nazis before and during World War II. It includes interviews with art historians, soldiers, and eye-witnesses who recount events of cultural evacuation, destruction, personal sorrows, and restitution.

On that day I was scheduled to work from nine to four, and I remember feeling relieved that I would not have to work until midnight. Even though I would not stay, I was still very interested in seeing the film and intended to watch it during my own leisure time. Since I rarely actually get days off, the plan was put in the back of my mind and I kept moving forward with work, applications, babysitting, dog sitting, blogging, exercising, interviews, family dinners, social gatherings, and all the other little bits that comprise everyday life. The plan came springing back the the forefront of my memory yesterday when I noticed two books for sale in the Kemper gift shop; The Rape of Europa and The Monuments Men. Both books focus on the Nazi looting and the eventual repatriation of stolen art. I started reading a couple pages from each book and decided I wanted to buy them, but first, I thought, I should watch the film. So today, about a month later, I finally had some free time and decided to make some popcorn, grab a Diet Coke, and watch the movie alla streaming on Netflix.

The film begins with the story of Maria Altmann and her struggle to regain five Gustav Klimt paintings that were seized from members of her Jewish family by Nazis prior to World War II, and eventually ended up in the ownership of the Austrian government. Altmann argues that the paintings belong to the heirs of her family and Austrian officials argue that Altmann's aunt, Adele Bloch-Bauer and owner of many of the artworks in question, had always intended to donate the paintings to the National Museum, whether they had been illegally seized or not. I call this repatriation issue Case III, because it is Intriguing, Infuriating, and Interesting. You'll have to wait to the end of the movie to see if Altmann is successful or not.

The film then goes on to state that Altmann's case is just one of many that resonate into the 21st century as a result of the massive art thefts and crimes of the Nazi regime. The nearly two-hour film recounts many tales of stolen Jewish artworks and art seized from famous European museums and packed away to Germany on trains. All because Hitler and many in his regime fancied themselves cultured and wanted to make Germany the arts and cultural center of the world. It also tells the stories of those brave citizens and soldiers who attempted to save, hide, and record events so that artworks would not fall into German hands, or if they did, so they could eventually be recovered. The movie does a great job of showing the industrial scope of the damage the Nazis did to the visual arts world and how many artworks to this day are either still missing or disputed.

Two hours, one crushed aluminum can, and an empty bowl of popcorn later, I was stunned by the statistics of stolen art and celebrated the small triumphs of artworks finding their way home. I highly recommend this film because it does a great job of organizing and explaining a massively complicated series of events. It shows that the Nazis didn't just commit war crimes but also cultural crimes, all in their attempt to purge the world of races and cultures they deemed degenerate.

Since I enjoyed the film so much I definitely plan on purchasing both books, which present a much more detailed account of the Nazi art theft stories and those who fought back against it. I am also seriously considering attending (if I am not already working) the next Friday Nights and the Kemper event, which will focus on Jackson Pollock. Events like these are great because they allow the opportunity to learn about art in a very laid-back and recreational way. And I find that when it doesn't feel like learning, sometimes that's when you absorb the most.

Have you ever seen this film or read the two books mentioned above? Have you or your museum ever encountered issues with Nazi stolen artworks? Have you ever hosted an event to educate about Nazi art theft and current repatriation issues?

You can read more about regulations for museums concerning Nazi stolen artwork here on the American Association of Museums website.