I have been asked to write a guest entry for the blog. Before I began working here, I did not know much about the Monuments Men. I knew they saved art during WWII, but that was all I knew. They were a pretty incredible group of people. From Ettlinger to Valland, there are some great people with some incredible stories. I wonder what Rose Valland was thinking when she decided to keep notes on these works of art. Did she know that it would lead to finding them later? Did she think they were for her own personal records and memories? I wonder, what was the initial spark that forced her to begin to document what was going on with the art pieces? Minus the actual combat part, their work must have been fascinating. I wish I was getting a paycheck to discover the stolen art hidden by the Nazi’s. Talk about thinking outside the box, wow!
Though there are many different inspirational stories between the Monuments Men, there is one unifying theme. They all felt the need to serve a purpose greater than themselves. In today’s society, for the most part, all people care about is themselves and their latest bell or whistle. I don’t think our society cares how many innocent people we kill on a daily basis, much less saving the cultural treasures in the Middle East. A childhood buddy of mine was in the first platoon into Saddam’s main house and they did some terrible stuff to that house including the relics and treasures there. I can only imagine what has happened to other cultural treasures in one of the oldest regions in the world. If more people knew about The Monuments Men and their mission, we could have a special unit deployed in the Middle East focused on saving the cultural treasures of the region. Maybe the people in charge of our nation’s foreign policy do not want to save the cultural treasures. Maybe they do not want to preserve the culture from that region. No W.M.D.’s and oil isn’t cheap, one has to wonder, what are we doing there?
I’m grateful that someone had the foresight to see the importance of saving the cultural treasures for future generations before they were destroyed. In the times of World War II, people were more educated and understood the importance in saving cultural treasures for future generations. Nationwide, our public school systems cut back funding for the arts before any other subjects. Today, MTV and all the rest of the filth on television, teaches our children that cultural treasures are pieces of jewelry that Paris Hilton wore. When you see how little importance our nation puts on the arts and culture, it’s not hard to see why this has not become a bigger issue. It is going to take the masses getting educated, rising up and demanding that we save the cultural treasures in the Middle East before anything will change. So I’m here doing my small part, helping Mr. Edsel and the Monuments Men Foundation in raising awareness and educating people about The Monuments Men and their mission.
This morning I appeared as a guest on the “Morning Joe” show, hosted by Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski (whose mother was an artist!), and Willie Geist, to discuss my new book, The Monuments Men. Seated beside me was one of the great historians of our time, and a personal heroine of mine, Doris Kearns Goodwin! Time passes very quickly on live national television so I had to speak very rapidly….and what a great experience it was!
When I commented that one of the exciting experiences for me in writing The Monuments Men was to provide a character—Rose Valland, the greatest heroine of the war in my opinion—that women can now relate to as a path to develop an interest in World War ll, Doris Kearns Goodwin swung her arms in jubulation and cheered ‘A Woman!’. For all she knows about World War ll and history in general, she commented to me how amazing it was that the story of the Monuments Men was one that was long overdue being told.
One of the most meaningful experiences of researching and writing about living history is having the chance to share it with someone else who knows the process. When Doris Kearns Goodwin immediately commented to me that writing the story of these great unknown heroes of World War ll must have been deeply moving for them and their families, it spoke volumes about her years of experience listening to people.
One final comment: Doris Kearns Goodwin closed the program by saying “It’s just a reminder that Hitler really was the greatest threat to western civilization I think it’s ever experienced, and I mean not only killing all the people, not only all the treasures, but civilization and these symbols of it that would have been gone because of this one person and that terrible ideology.” And that in my view validates just how big the story of The Monuments Men truly is.
I am so appreciative that Joe, Mika and Willie invited me on their show and provided me with this wonderful opportunity to share these heroes’ story.
Tomorrow morning, I will appear live on “Morning Joe” with Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, and Willie Geist on MSNBC at 8:45am EST. This is an incredible opportunity for us to publicize the story of the Monuments Men and their incredible achievements before, during and after World War II. Please invite your family and friends to tune in. Click the link for more information about the show and to find out what channel it airs on in your area. http://www.morningjoe.com.
The upcoming week is filled with media appearances that highlight The Monuments Men. Please feel free to click the links to find out where and when these programs will air in your area.
I was also interviewed for an article about Vermeer’s The Astronomer, currently of view at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.
Minneapolis Star Tribune
October 16, 2009 – Robert interviewed about the Monuments Men’s rescue of Vermeer’s The Astronomer during WWII. Article running in conjunction with a new exhibit in Minneapolis. Click o read the article (http://www.startribune.com.html)
It’s been quite a wait since finishing the writing of The Monuments Men in April, but the wait is now over as the book appears today in bookstores and online throughout the United Kingdom. I’m very excited about introducing these heroes of civilization and providing you an opportunity to share in their thrilling and yet harrowing story.
This week I’ve given a number of print interviews including Time Magazine, The Sunday Telegraph, and The Sunday Express, radio interviews on BBC which aired both throughout the United Kingdom and last night on BBC World Radio, and on television. In fact, one interview I was particularly pleased to give was with BBC World. (I’ve provided links below if you are interested!)
The people of London, and everyone with whom I’ve spoken, are very excited to hear about this great untold story of World War II and, in particular, these unknown heroes. Later today and tomorrow I’ll be stopping into various bookstores to sign books and meet some of the people who I know will adopt these heroes just as I have.
