Nazi treasure trove of stolen art.

[Tiamat]

I thought about posting this in National News, but nobody seems to want to talk about these things, so, I'll just bury it here in Off Topic. Apparently, a treasure trove of art stolen by the Nazi's has been discovered. But, it seems Germany is still not being exactly forthcoming about it. But it's exciting to know, none the less.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24818541

Previously unknown artworks by masters are among more than 1,400 pieces found in a trove of Nazi-looted art in Munich, German officials say.

There is no question that the Munich trove is extremely significant, a really important discovery. You could conceivably set up a museum with this lot.

The curator who has been cataloguing the collection says not only does it contain works we thought were destroyed, but some that we did not know existed. Art historians all over the world will be preparing to rewrite biographies of several modern artists.

The previously unknown Chagall is an exciting discovery, a highly valuable work of art. And the Otto Dix self-portrait, full of German expressionism, catches him at a moment shortly after the end of World War One when his art was reaching new heights. But now we are hearing there are Canalettos and a Courbet in there - so it is not just a collection of modern art.

What is frustrating is the drip-feeding of information from Germany. There are almost 1,400 works in this collection, yet they have only told us concrete details about two of them.

There still seems to be a cloak of secrecy around the whole affair. They are telling us they are not going to post the images online - so if you think you might have a claim, you have to approach them. It is extraordinary. Like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

[Prospector]

I thought about posting this in National News, but nobody seems to want to talk about these things, so, I'll just bury it here in Off Topic. Apparently, a treasure trove of art stolen by the Nazi's has been discovered. But, it seems Germany is still not being exactly forthcoming about it. But it's exciting to know, none the less.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24818541

Previously unknown artworks by masters are among more than 1,400 pieces found in a trove of Nazi-looted art in Munich, German officials say.

There is no question that the Munich trove is extremely significant, a really important discovery. You could conceivably set up a museum with this lot.

The curator who has been cataloguing the collection says not only does it contain works we thought were destroyed, but some that we did not know existed. Art historians all over the world will be preparing to rewrite biographies of several modern artists.

The previously unknown Chagall is an exciting discovery, a highly valuable work of art. And the Otto Dix self-portrait, full of German expressionism, catches him at a moment shortly after the end of World War One when his art was reaching new heights. But now we are hearing there are Canalettos and a Courbet in there - so it is not just a collection of modern art.

What is frustrating is the drip-feeding of information from Germany. There are almost 1,400 works in this collection, yet they have only told us concrete details about two of them.

There still seems to be a cloak of secrecy around the whole affair. They are telling us they are not going to post the images online - so if you think you might have a claim, you have to approach them. It is extraordinary. Like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

I do. You would be surprise the items still being located that the Nazi's had confiscated, were found by individuals later, hidden or stolen, only to be found again.

The Swiss Banks were forced to open some areas up when it was learned that family heirlooms, State treasures, or the spoils of war were being hidden there.

Soon after there was a shift by many to move their banking to Luxembourg because of the "need of financial secrecy."

[Tiamat]

I thought about posting this in National News, but nobody seems to want to talk about these things, so, I'll just bury it here in Off Topic. Apparently, a treasure trove of art stolen by the Nazi's has been discovered. But, it seems Germany is still not being exactly forthcoming about it. But it's exciting to know, none the less.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24818541

Previously unknown artworks by masters are among more than 1,400 pieces found in a trove of Nazi-looted art in Munich, German officials say.

There is no question that the Munich trove is extremely significant, a really important discovery. You could conceivably set up a museum with this lot.

The curator who has been cataloguing the collection says not only does it contain works we thought were destroyed, but some that we did not know existed. Art historians all over the world will be preparing to rewrite biographies of several modern artists.

The previously unknown Chagall is an exciting discovery, a highly valuable work of art. And the Otto Dix self-portrait, full of German expressionism, catches him at a moment shortly after the end of World War One when his art was reaching new heights. But now we are hearing there are Canalettos and a Courbet in there - so it is not just a collection of modern art.

What is frustrating is the drip-feeding of information from Germany. There are almost 1,400 works in this collection, yet they have only told us concrete details about two of them.

There still seems to be a cloak of secrecy around the whole affair. They are telling us they are not going to post the images online - so if you think you might have a claim, you have to approach them. It is extraordinary. Like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

I do. You would be surprise the items still being located that the Nazi's had confiscated, were found by individuals later, hidden or stolen, only to be found again.

The Swiss Banks were forced to open some areas up when it was learned that family heirlooms, State treasures, or the spoils of war were being hidden there.

Soon after there was a shift by many to move their banking to Luxembourg because of the "need of financial secrecy."

The Swiss had a high degree of complicity in Nazi atrocities. Including accepting stolen gold (sometimes from fillings) and making loans to Germany, allowing it the financial solvency to remain: "Neutral."

[Leonard]

Tiamat;
The Swiss had a high degree of complicity in Nazi atrocities. Including accepting stolen gold (sometimes from fillings) and making loans to Germany, allowing it the financial solvency to remain: "Neutral."

The Swiss were not alone in fostering Hitler upon the world. Most of the capitalist of the world loved Hitler's fascist stand on communism and capitalism. He was even made Time's man of the year in 1939, just before he fell out of favour.

The following is from a Guardian some years ago.

George Bush's grandfather, the late US senator Prescott Bush, was a director and shareholder of companies that profited from their involvement with the financial backers of Nazi Germany.

The Guardian has obtained confirmation from newly discovered files in the US National Archives that a firm of which Prescott Bush was a director was involved with the financial architects of Nazism.

His business dealings, which continued until his company's assets were seized in 1942 under the Trading with the Enemy Act, has led more than 60 years later to a civil action for damages being brought in Germany against the Bush family by two former slave labourers at Auschwitz and to a hum of pre-election controversy.

The evidence has also prompted one former US Nazi war crimes prosecutor to argue that the late senator's action should have been grounds for prosecution for giving aid and comfort to the enemy.

The debate over Prescott Bush's behaviour has been bubbling under the surface for some time. There has been a steady internet chatter about the "Bush/Nazi" connection, much of it inaccurate and unfair. But the new documents, many of which were only declassified last year, show that even after America had entered the war and when there was already significant information about the Nazis' plans and policies, he worked for and profited from companies closely involved with the very German businesses that financed Hitler's rise to power. It has also been suggested that the money he made from these dealings helped to establish the Bush family fortune and set up its political dynasty.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/se...ndworldwar

[TennisMom]

Hitler left Switzerland alone because they were his 'bankers'; no questions asked. At the time, it didn't seem like the Swiss banks had much choice. However, when an account is dormant for over forty years, there are protocols. It turned out Herman Goering had millions of dollars socked away. The Swiss KNEW that money was his and they enjoyed the use of it for forty years, while survivors with no paperwork could claim ownership of anything and were suffering. They could have turned over questionable accounts after the war ended and they didn't. I have zero respect for those people.
As for these paintings, I suspect the German government wants to catalogue them and keep them in a protected environment. Yeah, they dragged their asses but I doubt they plan to keep any of the works in the end. The world is watching.

[Tiamat]

Hitler left Switzerland alone because they were his 'bankers'; no questions asked. At the time, it didn't seem like the Swiss banks had much choice. However, when an account is dormant for over forty years, there are protocols. It turned out Herman Goering had millions of dollars socked away. The Swiss KNEW that money was his and they enjoyed the use of it for forty years, while survivors with no paperwork could claim ownership of anything and were suffering. They could have turned over questionable accounts after the war ended and they didn't. I have zero respect for those people.
As for these paintings, I suspect the German government wants to catalogue them and keep them in a protected environment. Yeah, they dragged their asses but I doubt they plan to keep any of the works in the end. The world is watching.

I might wonder if it might be more appropriate to bring in a third party to handle that aspect so it doesn't look so circumspect?

[TennisMom]

I might wonder if it might be more appropriate to bring in a third party to handle that aspect so it doesn't look so circumspect?

Excellent idea. It could be that the German government was approached and turned down the offer. Too bad.