Monuments Men

When learning, reading, and experiences spiral together, I feel the incredible connections of our world. Such has been the case as I read The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History by Robert M. Edsel. While walking through the galleries of the Louvre this summer, I was aware of the unfortunate experiences of some pieces of art housed there. Until reading this book, I had no idea the extent of the seizures of artwork by the Nazis and their attempts to return seized pieces to the Fatherland. Having walked through the Jardin de Tuileries each day during my stay, I cannot imagine it filled with tanks and troops and even a prisoner camp. The men of the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives Section (many of whom were curators before becoming soldiers) worked under the direction of General Eisenhower to assist the European countries in recovering stolen and restoring pieces and protecting historic places and objects. Their work, and the risks they and the people of those countries took, makes what has been saved even more precious. I marvel that the carefully displayed items have had incredible journeys.