I recall seeing the movie. Watched it again on late night tv. Made quite an impression and would watch it again. The History Channel has a detailed documentary about the Monument Men and recovery of art during the invasion of Nazi Germany. The Russians also had a similar recovery team, much of what they recovered is still in Russia. Countless valuable and irreplacable objects of art remain lost and unaccounted for. I was surprised to learn years ago that some lost objects were acquired by William Hearst, probably through black market connections, when Europe lay in rubble after the war. It was on display at Hearst Castle. 

Hopefully, missing art will continue to surface. Alot of it, I'm afraid, is gone forever.  

Glad to know the History channel is living up to it's name.I was stunned by the work these dedicated few did on behalf of the world,not just famous works of art but in the recovery of whole libraries ,and church relics.More is slowly emerging and Russia is finally admitting to their "share" of the looted goods.

http://www.smithsonianmag.c... I should have thought to include a direct link to the article... and a correction:the film is named "Rape of Europa"...

sage, I have just finished reading a collection of diary accounts and testimony of NAZI Sonderkommandos and others involved in specialty looting operations.

They were both very alike and unlike their counterparts, the Venus Men. They would make their victims in the concentration camps undress and leave all valuables in piles (the victims were told to remember where exactly they left their clothes so they could "get" them after delousing). After undressing, they would then enter the chambers for delousing. Upon departure, their bodies were subject to cavity inspections to retrieve any last remaining valuables, this included extractions of gold and silver teeth.

The proceeds cash, jewelry, gold and silver were so plentiful that prostitutes would line up outside the camps to ply their pitiful trade for enough money or trade items to live on. The loot that wasn't pilfered by the guards and kommandants was sent by the trainloads to banks for laundry services.

Also, it is a ghastly experience to read the dispassionate diary entries of medical doctors involved in live organ research, another kind of valuable commodities speculator.

The Nazis are just not the kind of folks I am having over to dinner..nasty vile sorts.They did many a despicable thing~and being who I am ,I much prefer to concentrate on stories such as this one.The first effort of it's kind~returning looted wartime "goods" to the source country.If you read the orphan room section in the original article,it gives you chills(and made me cry) to think exactly how those items got there...we must never forget.

That time was one of the darkest times in modern era. It does show what common folk are capable of doing to their fellow man and how other common folk can just stand and watch.

The one bright spot is the group know as the White Rose.

The difficulty that assails me while thinking about such topics is how easily people can commit atrocities and not realize how they were conditioned into justifying their acts.

For a revealing and instructive lesson on this topic, just peruse the many postings on the death of Leon Anderson. So many, with their simplistic nostrums and unanalyzed beliefs, will be so easily led to encourage the wielders of the knives and forks in the upcoming feast of vengence and blood.

We are not an improved version from a generation ago, and there is nothing special about us or our children either.

katatak totally agreed.

It is always easy to wipe up a crowd to hate, just make sure they have someone or somthing to fear..then build on it.

I attended PLNU in San Diego, We had a guest speaker who in her youth was a Nazi Youth leader...who after the war found God & America. As she spoke to us, she built us up that we were great and special as Americans and that we were God special love. Well she did get us all excited and proud. but in reality she was doing the same thing she did in her youth.

You have a point..but I stand by my first comment about Mr.Anderson.Something to the effect that I can not mourn the passing of a bad man,but I do mourn the missed opportunities of such a life.

I know there have always been,probably always will be such as these..yet there are those ,in each generation that do see more,that do more...that question,that die in defense of ideals.That live in defense of ideals.

Hope, Love.....  lose those and become as them.

I hear both of you sfin and sage. I can tell you are touched by similar insights and real concerns, and I see the sense in sage's words, "Hope, Love.... lose those and become as them."

We have to keep that fire burning hot and hold it aloft.

Your comment about "disturbing" says it all, sage. Hopefully some will listen.

Yes,but as you saw,I almost "went right there" myself...it is disheartening to fall into the wind..hard work too.Sometimes I wish I could see things as simple,black and white..

I feel the same way, and am glad you said what you said because it needed saying. I have been doing some reading up on things like Azteca Lines and later on I'll post some thoughts on that subject area. I think I'll toss in a rope of sound, something that occurred to me some years ago in Medocino.

Not today though:)

Nancy, glad you caught on to the exercise in futility.

It's not a matter of catching on Kat.  It's the hope that someone will learn something from a discussion.  The people who post here aren't the only ones who read the blogs.

As I frequently reminded clients...repetition is they way we learn things.  Rational, logical people will eventually see such posts for what they are.

Nancy, I understand and value your approach. I did something similar a couple of these blogs back, but as they began proliferating I sensed something else, maybe even straw man blogs.

I am only guessing, but the tone made me suspicious.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TEC... Just saw this and thought it an good update on lost art.The search continues.