ANOTHER HERO HAS DEPARTED: ROBERT A. KOCH (1919-2011)
December 5th, 2011 | 4:45 pm
Monuments officer, Lt. Robert A. Koch, died on November 11 after a lengthy illness. Koch served with the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1946. While working with the MFAA, he was stationed at the Office of Military Government for Wurtenberg-Baden in Germany. Koch signed the Wiesbaden Manifesto, a document outlining the MFAA opposition of the removal of German-owned artworks from the Wiesbaden Collecting Point to the United States.
Koch became a prominent Northern Renaissance scholar earning his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of North Carolina in 1940 and 1942, respectively. Following his military service, he attended Princeton University for continued graduate studies. In 1948, he received a Master’s of Fine Arts and began working on his Ph.D., which he received in 1954. Koch’s teaching career began at Princeton in the fall of 1948 in the Department of Art and Archaeology. He was named full professor in 1966. In 1950, he accepted the additional position of assistant director at the Princeton Art Museum. Koch also became Curator of Prints and Drawings in 1961. In 1990, Koch retired from the university and was named professor emeritus.
Among his many honors, Koch was awarded a Fulbright Research Grant in 1956 to study art history in Belgium, and later received a grant from the American Council of Learned Societies in 1961. He was a member of the College Art Association, serving as its director from1961 to 1963. He is also the author of several books, including Joachim Patinir (1968) and Hans Baldung Grien; Eve, the Serpent and Death (1974).
With the passing of Mr. Koch, there are now just seven living Monuments officers.
Tags: Fulbright Research Grant, Monuments Men, Robert Koch, University of Princeton, US Army, Veterans, World War II
Dear Robert,
Sorry to hear of the loss of one of the Monuments Men. I know how close you are to these heroes. I have shared your story with many others – most recently Brig. Gen. Russ Howard whom I gave my copy of your book, and CEO of deBaak – Harry Starren.
Following the cut backs at the DMA, I accepted a position at the Monterey Institute of International Studies as Director in Advancement.
Naomi Aberly is hosting a salon for us in February where I am bringing the former Ambassador to Egypt Nabil Fahmy to discuss the Arab spring. I will send you more information soon.
Again – my condolences about Robert Koch.
Sincerely,
Kathryn Joyce
I was lucky to have known Mr. Robert Alan Koch, not personally, but over the internet (via Skype), through his relatives who have been taking care of Mr. Koch in his last years on this planet. We’ve had several conversations, mostly short ones, since his ailment was precluding him from being able to think straight.
Mr. Koch died on November 10, not November 11 as this article suggests. He took his last breath around 4 am ET. His grand nephew and caregiver FF loved Robert very much and became really attached to him, just as his father Thom. Even though Robert’s mind was slowly leaving him as he fought Alzheimer’s, FF will always remember that one wonderful day a year prior to his death when Robert suddenly came to his senses and didn’t believe he had such a disease.
Robert died just 13 days before his 92nd birthday, we all should be so lucky to have lived such a long and eventful life full of adventures that become a reason why such obituaries appear on the web. Nevertheless, he will be missed by his friends and family, and I will miss him, too.
Wherever you are, Robert, in oblivion or in some energy state waiting for your return to inhabit yet another human body, you go on living in our memories.