Robert Edsel's Blog

The CW 33 News at 9 aired a fascinating special about Robert Edsel’s remarkable role in recognizing the Monuments Men who were instrumental in saving a lot of the artworks in Europe during World War II after Hitler and the Nazis had stolen it. The TV special showcases a living monuments man, Harry Ettlinger, and the efforts of the National World War II Museum in recognizing this group of mostly American soldiers. To learn about this amazing story and to learn about our permanent exhibit being built in the new Liberation Pavilion at the World War II Museum in New Orleans, please click the link. There are 7 videos delving into different aspects of this truly remarkable story.

General Eisenhower and his wife, Mamie, departing the Met.
(photo courtesy of Metropolitan Museum of Art Libraries.)

The Monuments Men Foundation is proud to announce the discovery of an audio recording of General Eisenhower speaking about the importance of art and its protection during war.

The speech was delivered at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on April 2, 1946 at an event in which General Eisenhower was presented with an Honorary Life Fellowship from the museum with a citation that read:

“To Dwight D. Eisenhower, soldier, diplomat and statesman, through whose irreplaceable art treasures were saved for future generations.”

Award recipients with Texas Governor Rick Perry, including Bill Paxton,
Bob Schieffer, Barbara Smith Conrad and ZZ Top.

Other articles in this newsletter: the announcement of a new book coming out in Spring of 2013, Remembering Maria Altmann, and Robert Edsel presented with Texas Medal of Arts.

Click On the Link to Read The Monuments Men Newsletter

Robert Edsel appeared on the Good Morning Texas program this morning. He was discussing the history of the Monuments Men, the events at SMU, and the ongoing events about the Monuments Men Foundation. Click on the link to watch the video.

Robert Edsel will make a live appearance talking about the Monuments Men on Good Morning Texas tomorrow staring at 9am on WFAA Dallas. Please click the link for more information http://www.wfaa.com/good-morning-texas.

I’ve written many times before about the brave American men and women in uniform who are preserving our freedom. As we are fond of saying at the Monuments Men Foundation and the National World War ll Museum, “freedom is NOT free”. These brave soldiers, our guardians, risk their lives every day, many in faraway places. The amount of time I spend in airports around the country is a constant visual reminder as I regularly see all too many of our troops, headed home for leave, or back overseas for another tour of duty.

Yesterday one of my dearest friend’s senior nurse told me a story that had me in tears. Her son is preparing to deploy to Afghanistan as part of a  high risk operational team. Earlier this year, while waiting to greet her son at the airport, her eight year old daughter saw a group of soldiers in uniform preparing to board a flight. The young girl walked up to them, smiled, and asked, “Are you in the army with my brother?” The soldiers returned the smile and asked her the name of her brother. She responded, “my brother’s name is Jason; do you know him?”

It’s a small story, but one that is deeply personal for this family; it is another reminder of the impact military service has on families whose brave sons and daughters are serving our nation and preserving for those of us at home the values and way of life we cherish most. To our veterans everywhere, and all those in military service, thank you for your service to our nation! We DO appreciate your sacrifice!

We set aside two days a year to honor our Veterans: Memorial Day and Veterans Day. But other days of the year border on such importance…today is one of them. More than 2,400 men and women were killed on this date 69 years ago as they innocently went about their duty and lives that Sunday morning. It was a dastardly act by Japan and it’s warlords as they sought to knock out the Pacific fleet of the United States in one swift blow. Within days the United States was at war with Japan and its allies, Nazi Germany and Italy. World War II had begun in earnest.

Less than three weeks later a meeting would take place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City that would have far reaching implications.Visionary leaders such as George Stout, Paul Sachs, and Francis Henry Taylor, expressed concern about protecting this country’s cultural treasures from concerns about a Japanese invasion of the west coast and Nazi bombings on the east coast. In time these specific fears subsided but were replaced with an even greater concern: how to protect the cultural treasures of the western world from the path of war that inevitably would lead to the doors of the Reichschancellery in Berlin.

Fortunately we live in a world today that was spared the “what if” consequences of the Monuments Men never having been created.We can visit the world’s great museums and see the vast majority of the greatest accomplishments of man’s creative genius because of their vision and sacrifices. Pearl Harbor set them into motion.

So on this day, let us remember the brave men and women who lost their lives at Pearl Harbor. May we also acknowledge those who acted and set in motion one of the most benevolent efforts in the history of mankind, an effort that preserved much of the accumulated art, music, and culture produced by thousands of years of civilization, from the path of war: the Monuments Men and women.

These are pictures I took during my visit to the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. Even after visiting this museum many times, there is always something new to see or experience. I highly recommend anyone that is visiting New Orleans to visit this museum, you will not be disappointed.

Today is THE day to fly your flag, to display your appreciation for the sacrifice of so many millions of Americas who have had their lives changed, and in too many instances, lost, in service to our nation.

I am at the National World War II Museum all day for ceremonies to honor our veterans. (I’ll be posting photos on Twitter and Facebook all day from New Orleans.)

Brave men and women have given years of their lives to ensure that we enjoy the freedoms which define the society in which we live. Too many have also given their lives! Expressing out "thanks" may seem like a small gesture by comparison, but I can attest to the fact that an appreciative gesture of any sort is always well-received. Oftentimes I see people in airports walk up to men and women in uniform, returning home of on leave, to say "thanks for your service to our nation." From my own personal experience doing this, I can tell you that while soldiers may appear shy, or just say "thanks" in return, they are swelling up with pride inside.

One of our Monuments Men, Harry Ettlinger, regularly goes to the airport near his home town to greet returning vets, one veteran to another. I’ve seen people give up their seats in the front of airplanes to allow a serviceman or woman a better seat. There are countless other ways to "do something" to express your appreciation to these brave men and women all of which will leave you feeling better and will be immeasurably well-received by our heroes.

Click Here to Watch a Video Dedicated to Veterans Day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLqYev6Thck

Yesterday marked the 72nd anniversary of Kristallnacht, an evening in Germany when hundreds of synagogues were burned, thousands of shops destroyed, and many lives lost. Nazi Germany’s attack on its Jewish population was fully underway and in the open for all to see. Theft of their belongings, imprisonment, and mass murder, under the most gruesome and inhumane of circumstances, ensued.

While these horrific events took place in Germany, the lessons we should never forget are universal and lasting. We ignore them at our own peril as a civilization. Anytime one person or one race preaches superiority at the expense of others, warning bells should sound.

We must therefore consider the fall of the Berlin wall 21 years ago an astounding moment of progress in modern civilization. What a remarkable achievement that the end of the Cold War came with a spontaneous celebration, not the sound of gunfire or artillery. It took a long time for this portion of World War II to come to its natural conclusion, but the moment did come. It should never be overlooked, as a triumph for freedom, and a victory for a more hopeful Germany as a nation.