Robert Edsel's Blog

Back in February, I had to cancel my lecture at the University of Pennsylvania Law School due to heavy snowstorms all along the eastern seaboard which made traveling, either by air or by land, impossible. This is still the only speaking engagement I’ve had to cancel (out of more than 50!).

Happily, I am pleased to announce that this lecture was rescheduled and will be held on April 21 from 4:30 – 5:30 in S-240A and is open to everyone. I will be discussing my current book, “The Monuments Men” which details the extraordinary experiences this small group of Allied soldiers encountered in protecting, saving and returning Europe’s priceless artistic treasures. This lecture is sponsored by Penn Law Association in the Arts.  A reception and book signing is to follow. For more information, please click on the link.

University of Pennsylvania Law presents lecturer Robert M. Edsel

In the short while I have served the National World War ll Museum board as a trustee, I have come to know many of the very fine people that run this great organization and museum.  To the person they are incredibly enthusiastic about the mission of the museum and the opportunity they have to further the telling of the heroism of Americans who fought to preserve the liberties we enjoy today.  I have met some of the other trustees who have worked for years donating time and financial resources to making the museum a reality, truly one of the great visitor experiences anywhere.  This was reinforced for all of us at the Monuments Men Foundation this past weekend during our company visit to New Orleans where I was a keynote speaker about the Monuments Men at the International World War II Conference.

One of the more prominent members of the board is Super Bowl winning quarterback Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints.  Drew’s grandfather stormed onto the beaches of the South Pacific during World War II as a young marine.   He knows firsthand the importance of honoring these remarkable veterans and sharing the story of their sacrifices with people today.  In fact, Drew has participated in several USO tours to visit our troops overseas.  It speaks well of this young man that his life and conduct off the competitive field is defined by helping others and serving his community.

People such as Drew make the National World War II Museum the special place it has become.  The Monuments Men Foundation is so very excited about our ongoing relationship with the Museum and the day when the legacy of the Monuments Men and their story will be a part of the permanent exhibitions on display.

To view Drew Bree’s speaking about the National World War II Museum and the importance of its mission, please click on the link.

National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. (Image Courtesy of Wikipedia Images)

When visiting the National Gallery of Art in Washington, it’s hard to believe it is only 69 years old.  Its majestic appearance and rich collections suggest a museum many centuries in age.  How could all these artistic treasures be assembled so late in history?  Who had the vision to suggest that the United States finally have a national collection for the people such as those in nearly all European countries?

National Gallery of Art West Side in the 1940s (Image Courtesy of Wikipedia Images)

In fact, hard as it is to believe, much of the success of the National Gallery of Art is due to the generosity of one man:  Andrew W. Mellon. Mellon was a successful financier before serving as the Secretary of the Treasury from 1921-1932 and U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom from 1932-1933. He began collecting art, mostly old master painters and sculpture, during World War l.  By the late 1920s he had developed a vision that would become the National Gallery of Art, a collection of the world’s greatest works of art for the benefit of its citizens.   However, while he continued to add to his extraordinary collection, his plans for the museum and the donations he would make that would assure its construction were kept secret.

Andrew Mellon (Image Courtesy of National Gallery of Art)

In 1930, with the world firmly in the grip of the Depression, Mellon seized on one of the greatest buying opportunities in the history of collecting: a series of purchases from Russia’s greatest museum, the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, a once in a lifetime event driven by orders from Soviet Premier Stalin to museum officials to raise cash by selling art. This despicable decision by Stalin was received with shock by museum officials, but fear of the repercussions outweighed any alternative.  In the course of a year Mellon purchased 21 paintings, the likes of which would never have been available but for these extraordinary circumstances, including Raphael’s Alba Madonna and Jan van Eyck’s The Annunciation.  It was the coup of Mellon’s collecting career.

The Opening Ceremony at the National Gallery of Art presided by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. (Image Courtesy of National Gallery of Art)

In 1936 Mellon wrote President Roosevelt and formally offered to build the National Gallery of Art building and donate his collection to the nation.  Ultimately 121 paintings and 21 pieces of sculpture from Mellon’s collection were gifted.  Not only did he provide $15 million to build the building, but he also stipulated that it would not bear his name.  This was not only an extraordinary act of selflessness but also a strategically wise decision because Mellon knew he had to enlist the support of his peers to also promise their respective collections to the National Gallery of Art.  Putting his name on the building was something he understood would make that task difficult if not impossible. By excluding his name from the building Mellon was empowered to persuade others, including Samuel H. Kress, Chester Dale, and Joseph P. Widener, to donate or commit their collections to the nation.  In the coming years these great collectors and many others made gifts of collections and funds, a tradition that continues to this day.

Leonardo da Vinci, "Ginevra de Benci", 1476, Oil on Wood, 38.8 cm × 36.7 cm (15.3 in × 14.4 in) (Image Courtesy of Wikipedia Images)

Mellon also established a trust, donating $10 million, to fund the Gallery during those early years.  This was just the beginning of almost a century of philanthropy by the Mellon family as Mellon’s son, Paul, and daughter, Ailsa Mellon Bruce, continued their father’s support with generous financial donations as well as works of art.  In fact, the only painting by Leonardo da Vinci in an American collection, Ginevra de’ Benci, is at the National Gallery of Art, made possible by the Ailsa Mellon Bruce fund.

Robert M. Edsel speaking at The National Gallery of Art in January 2010. (Photo Courtesy of Robert M. Edsel Collection)

The National Gallery of Art is one of our nation’s greatest cultural centers and is full of visitors every day of the year but for the two it is closed. The facilities are state of the art and beautiful to admire. Anyone wanting to see one of the world’s great collections of art need not travel further than Washington, D.C. For those seeking a great example of selfless giving, study Andrew Mellon and his role in making this once lofty vision a reality.

The International Conference on World War II will be held from March 18^th – 20^th in New Orleans, Louisiana, sponsored by the National World War II Museum. This 3-day event will consist of keynote addresses, lectures, conferences, and roundtable discussions.

Robert Edsel is giving the keynote address on Friday, March 19 from 8:30am – 10:00, after which he will be discussing Art & War at 10:30, with Marc Pachter and Rick Atkinson. Some of the other topics that will be discussed during the conference are Allies at War, Death from Above, Espionage, Normandy, and War Crime Trials. There will also be an opportunity to meet Robert and the other speakers at a roundtable reception on Friday evening. Included with conference passes is the chance to view the museum’s exhibits as well as Beyond All Boundaries – the museum’s newest multi-experiential film at the Solomon Victory Theater. This film is truly a not to be missed visual experience.

If you are interested in attending this conference, please go to www.ww2conference.com to register on-line, or call 1-877-813-3329 x 500 or 504-527-6012 x 500. We look forward to seeing you there this week.

It’s hard to believe that this is our 20th newsletter! So much has happened in the last 3 years. I hope you enjoy our latest publication – just click to download the PDF version.

Ken Lindsay (1919 - 2009) (Photo Courtesy of Agon Arts & Entertainment)

A year ago today, the world lost a great man – Monuments Man Ken Lindsay. His legacy still lives on at the Monuments Men Foundation.

Ken Lindsay was as polite and kind a person as he was passionate and articulate about art. When I first met him and his lovely wife Christine, I was so captivated to hear him recount his experiences as a soldier and Monuments Man that I laid my pen down and just listened. The twinkle in his eyes belied his age, for his words were clear, precise and empowered with youthful energy.

(Photo Courtesy of Robert M. Edsel Collection)

Like many MFAA personnel, Lindsay did not initially join the military as a Monuments officer, rather he was drafted and first served with signal intelligence at SHAEF headquarters. He marched through France with the U.S. 3rd Army and was later appointed to the Wiesbaden Collecting Point under the directorship of Monuments officer Capt. Walter Farmer. Because Lindsay was not an officer, he was not among the signatories to the “Wiesbaden Manifesto,” a document which expressed opposition to the removal of German-owned artworks to the United States for safekeeping. However, he did strongly agree with its sentiment.

One of his most memorable experiences at Wiesbaden was the uncrating of the ancient Egyptian Bust of Queen Nefertiti (seen in the photo on the left), which had been evacuated for safekeeping from the Berlin museums towards the end of the war. Lindsay recalled the moment the bust was removed from its protective casing: “Within an instant, every man in there fell hopelessly in love with her – that face – absolutely beautiful.”

Ken Lindsay reading (Photo Courtesy of National Archives and Records Administration)

After the war, Lindsay was a professor of art history at Williams College, Williamstown, MA. He left in 1951 to become professor and later chair of the art history department at Harpur College, Binghamton University (SUNY) until 1990. During his retirement, Dr. Lindsay remained busy. He wrote an article about the Wiesbaden Manifesto and the controversial decision to transfer German-owned artworks to the United States, entitled “Official Art Seizure Under the Military Cloak,” in the journal Art, Antiquity, and Law (vol. 3, no. 2, June 1998).

I was recently honored to become a Trustee of our nation’s National World War ll Museum in New Orleans.  For those of you who may not know, this museum is the joint vision of the great historian and the most popular storyteller of World War ll, the late Dr. Stephen Ambrose, and his best friend of 30 years, fellow historian and current CEO of the Museum, Dr. Nick Mueller. It has a dedicated board of trustees, a passionate group of employees, and prominent volunteer supporters, including Tom Hanks and Tom Brokaw, who together have created one of the most exciting and interesting visitor experiences in the world.

The museum is unparalleled in its telling of the war.  It has just opened a unique 4-D theater, home to “Beyond All Boundaries”, a one of a kind film produced by Tom Hanks which may only be seen in this theater.  The film presents an extraordinary summary of the war and the events which led to it.  Appealing to adults and kids alike, this museum is one of our country’s great cultural experiences in the exciting and fully recovered city of New Orleans.

This week the museum is having a “Band of Brothers” marathon leading up to the newest HBO special, “The Pacific”.  Anyone seeking a great experience should hop on a Southwest Airlines jet and get a front row seat for this great event!

U.S. Marine Lane Faison (Photo Courtesy of Sandy Faison)

When my book on the Monuments Men was reviewed by The Washington Post in what was an expansive and, overall, good review (but for the “drive by” parting comment), the writer did take exception to my characterization of these men and women as “heroes” stating:

“In civilian life they were professional art people or patrons of the arts, and they seem to have regarded their work during the war as an extension and amplification of their civilian careers. They worked very hard and very effectively, but they seem to have had no sense of (or inclination toward) heroics, and my judgment is that they should be viewed accordingly: with respect and gratitude, but not elevated to the exalted precincts of heroism.”

I found this comment astonishing:  two Monuments Men were killed in action, others had many close calls, most all volunteered, and without exception all of them made a significant sacrifice.  The Monuments Men and women not only didn’t have to be in combat, but many of them had to go to considerable lengths just to finagle their way into active duty.  I remain of the opinion that the Monuments Men and women WERE heroes, one and all.

I apply the same standard to men and women in uniform today.  Some kids join gangs; some go to college or trade school; some chase the almighty dollar; and some goof off.  Others still enter military service as a career; some do it for the opportunity to receive a great college education they might otherwise not be able to afford.  Others hope to continue a family tradition of military service.  Whatever the reason, these brave men and women are stationed somewhere around the world which means they are away from family, friends, and serving their nation, often in harm’s way.  Yes, they are paid for duty (as are police officers and firemen—and I consider them heroes also!), but that shouldn’t diminish the degree of sacrifice involved with their job in any way.  Every soldier I see in an airport, headed home on leave or back to his or her unit, has by dint of service earned my respect and admiration.

One such soldier who I want to mention is the grandson of one of our beloved Monuments Men (S. Lane Faison, Jr.), Lane Faison.  His great grandfather served in the U. S. Army and his grandfather served in the U.S. Navy with distinction.  His grandfather was someone I adored, an early member of the OSS who interrogated many of the Nazis in an effort to determine their respective roles in the art thefts and discern what Hitler’s plans were for the Führermuseum he hoped to build in his hometown of Linz.  I first met his grandson, Lane, at his memorial service in December 2006, a little more than a month after having interviewed his grandfather.  In the time since, Lane joined the U. S. Marines and is currently serving overseas having seen duty in Afghanistan.   We are all proud of his sense of purpose and willingness to serve his country in this manner. I know his grandfather would be beaming with pride.

To Lane, and all his fellow servicemen and women, especially those in harm’s way, we salute you, wish you success with your mission, and a safe return home upon completion.

I am speaking at the First Presbyterian Church in Bonita Springs on Thursday at 10:00am EST. Books can bought and signed by the author at the location. This talk is open to the public and admission is free. I look forward to seeing you there.

First Presbyterian Church

9751 Bonita Beach Road SE,

Bonita Springs, FL 34135-4530

Click Here for Directions

Click Here a More Information

New Orleans is the place to be….Saints mania abounds, and rightfully so!!!  But there’s another exciting event which has brought me here today:  the opening of the first exhibition by the Monuments Men Foundation!  And what more fitting location could there be:  the stunning National World War II Museum!  On display are two irreplaceable historic documents which are the smoking guns of Hitler and the Nazi’s greatest theft in history:  the Gemaldegalerie Linz Album XIII, and the ERR Album 6, both of which were removed from Hitler’s home in Berchtesgaden, known as the Berghof, by U.S. Army soldiers.

This is the first time these documents have been together since being in Hitler’s possession, and the only opportunity the public will ever have to see them together.  The ERR Album 6 contains photographs of paintings stolen by Alfred Rosenberg and his notorious Einsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg unit from the great collectors in France including families such as the Rothschilds, Seligmanns, David-Weill, and others.  It was presented to Hitler along with as many as 100 albums in that series.  Until the Monuments Men Foundation located Album 6, it was believed there were just 39 of these albums which, interestingly, were the chief prosecution exhibit at the Nuremberg Trials for the portion pertaining to Nazi theft of cultural property.

This 90 day exhibition marks the second leg of the journey home to Berlin for the Gemaldegalerie Linz Album XIII.  It began a week ago when I presented it to Germany’s Ambassador to the United States, Mr. Klaus Scharioth, at the United States State Department (for related story click here).  This Album, one of 31 such albums created of which only 19 were believed to have survived the war, is extremely important because it contains photographs of the works of art personally selected by Hitler for the museum he intended on building in his hometown of Linz, commonly referred to as the Führermuseum.  Album XIII is particularly significant because it contains works by German 19th century painters so beloved by Hitler.  Not only was this and the other still missing 11 albums thought to have been destroyed, but scholars believed their last known location was the Wolfsschanze or Wolf’s Lair, Hitler’s headquarters on the eastern front.  That this album was located at Berchtesgaden was quite a revelation and makes it increasingly likely others will eventually be found.

The Monuments Men Foundation believes that many of the missing albums from both series survived the war and will surface in the months and years ahead.  These documents are only the most recent examples of the millions of still missing works of art and other objects from the World War II period.  We encourage anyone with information about a missing object, or concern about some item in their possession, to contact the Monuments Men Foundation.

And an enormous “thanks” goes to all our friends at the National World War II Museum who have done such an outstanding job installing the exhibit and supporting this important display.  For all those who haven’t been to the Museum, it is truly one of the most amazing, interactive and fascinating museums in the world. For more information on the National World War II Museum visit http://www.nationalww2museum.org/.