A cast of big-name Hollywood stars has brought to the silver screen a story of true life heroism and sacrifice based on the Monuments Men book. This tale is about men and women who left their private lives behind to join the Army with one aim, to help preserve Europe's important buildings from aerial bombing. Although they began with a mission to save monuments, they soon realized that there were millions of art treasures in Nazi hands.
Although the movie is not completely faithful to the book, Edsel is delighted with the exposure that Hollywood will provide to his personal cause. He has done a lot of research into looted art and monuments destroyed or damaged by war. He produced a documentary on the historic and on-going efforts to locate stolen treasure. Although many valuable objects have been returned, more remain on the missing list. Edsel now has a non-profit foundation dedicated to the search and to raising public awareness of the matter.
His first best-seller tells of a group of soldiers and non-military people who became part of an Army unit commissioned to protect Europe's important buildings from aerial bombing. This effort meant going behind enemy lines for undercover investigations of Nazi plans and other dangerous work. The brave men and women were museum officials, art historians, architects, and other scholars who left families and careers behind to risk their lives in an attempt to preserve western culture.
The mission soon expanded to cover paintings, sculpture, and other art as well. Two of the unit were killed in action, but the group succeeded in recovering over five million valuable objects from Nazi collections or supporters. The group was formed in 1943 and continued its efforts for eight years.
The fact that many items remain hidden was highlighted by the recent discovery of more than 1400 valuable objects in a Munich apartment. The man who hoarded these treasures claims they are rightfully his by inheritance. His father was an art dealer commissioned by Hitler to dispose of art considered 'degenerate'.
Edsel has devoted his personal fortune and his time to finding more lost masterpieces. He recently spotted two paintings on the 'still missing' list in a Texas museum. They were taken from the Rothschild family during the War. However, the documentation on the paintings is not available. Perhaps they were returned to the family and later sold legally or perhaps they are still stolen objects.
Edsel's Monuments Men Foundation continues to reach out to the public in this restoration effort. Many servicemen brought home souvenirs from Europe, and among these may be some of the missing objects. Recently a veteran returned two books, both over 400 years old, to the Foundation. Hopefully others with World War II souvenirs in their attics will check out the list of missing objects to see if they might have one or more in their home.
The book inspired the movie, which is a light-hearted look at this true story of heroism and sacrifice. However, for more in-depth information, get the book and its sequel and check out the website for the Monuments Men Foundation. You might want to look at the photos of still-missing masterpieces, too, in case you have the Van Gogh or the Raphael on your wall.
Although the movie is not completely faithful to the book, Edsel is delighted with the exposure that Hollywood will provide to his personal cause. He has done a lot of research into looted art and monuments destroyed or damaged by war. He produced a documentary on the historic and on-going efforts to locate stolen treasure. Although many valuable objects have been returned, more remain on the missing list. Edsel now has a non-profit foundation dedicated to the search and to raising public awareness of the matter.
His first best-seller tells of a group of soldiers and non-military people who became part of an Army unit commissioned to protect Europe's important buildings from aerial bombing. This effort meant going behind enemy lines for undercover investigations of Nazi plans and other dangerous work. The brave men and women were museum officials, art historians, architects, and other scholars who left families and careers behind to risk their lives in an attempt to preserve western culture.
The mission soon expanded to cover paintings, sculpture, and other art as well. Two of the unit were killed in action, but the group succeeded in recovering over five million valuable objects from Nazi collections or supporters. The group was formed in 1943 and continued its efforts for eight years.
The fact that many items remain hidden was highlighted by the recent discovery of more than 1400 valuable objects in a Munich apartment. The man who hoarded these treasures claims they are rightfully his by inheritance. His father was an art dealer commissioned by Hitler to dispose of art considered 'degenerate'.
Edsel has devoted his personal fortune and his time to finding more lost masterpieces. He recently spotted two paintings on the 'still missing' list in a Texas museum. They were taken from the Rothschild family during the War. However, the documentation on the paintings is not available. Perhaps they were returned to the family and later sold legally or perhaps they are still stolen objects.
Edsel's Monuments Men Foundation continues to reach out to the public in this restoration effort. Many servicemen brought home souvenirs from Europe, and among these may be some of the missing objects. Recently a veteran returned two books, both over 400 years old, to the Foundation. Hopefully others with World War II souvenirs in their attics will check out the list of missing objects to see if they might have one or more in their home.
The book inspired the movie, which is a light-hearted look at this true story of heroism and sacrifice. However, for more in-depth information, get the book and its sequel and check out the website for the Monuments Men Foundation. You might want to look at the photos of still-missing masterpieces, too, in case you have the Van Gogh or the Raphael on your wall.
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