The monuments men book is a story by Robert Edsel about a group determined to rescue as much fine art as possible from capture or destruction during the way with Hitler. The group also includes women and the aim was to save cultural treasures that were about to be destroyed by Nazi fanatics. They had to work fast because there were racing against time.
The process of rescuing and recovering the treasure was complicated by the absence of guiding maps that would give directions to where treasures were hidden. They had to physically visit ruined museums and cathedrals as well as peruse through private notes and journals to get hints. The contribution of Rosa Valland who worked at the French museum was crucial. She got leads from dentists during root canal procedure as well as along rail yards.
It took a lot of effort and sacrifice to rescue such artifacts considering the prevailing circumstances. The team was composed on individuals at the prime of their lives and careers. The cultural treasures were more important to them to the point of giving up their lives. Notable artists whose works were endangered include Van Eycks, Michelangelo and Da Vinci.
While risking their lives during combat, the group had a single mission. They were to save as much culture as possible from destruction or pillaging by the army. It would have been a great loss if the treasures were to disappear during the war. They display understanding of the threat posed by the loss and are ready to do something to save the situation. They were trained curators, art scholars, educators, museum directors, architects and archivists.
Support for the mission came from President Roosevelt and General Eisenhower. However, they were not provided with gasoline, typewriters, vehicles or necessary authority. This would make their mission very difficult and only possible with determination and good will. The original mission was to ensure that essential structures were not bombed. This would change because they did not determine the course of combat. They shifted to rescuing items after bombing.
The author offers a lay mans creation of the characters of these individuals. This is necessary considering the difficulty they are facing. It is a journey into their young lives, their passions and goals and how each finds himself in the mission. The extent of sacrifice is huge since some of them give-up their lives for the course.
It is worth noting that Hitler wanted to construct the largest museum in the world by collecting the best works during war. Immediately he invaded Poland, he began an attack on churches, private art collections and museums. This is how he got the finest art and hid it in remote castles and secret mines waiting for the war to end. He wanted to show that Aryan artists were superior to Jewish artists.
The different dimension of the Second World War as exposed in The Monuments Men Book diverts from known history. What is known during war is aimless destruction, but a group comes up to save artifacts that have no monetary value. A movie with a similar title has already been released.
The process of rescuing and recovering the treasure was complicated by the absence of guiding maps that would give directions to where treasures were hidden. They had to physically visit ruined museums and cathedrals as well as peruse through private notes and journals to get hints. The contribution of Rosa Valland who worked at the French museum was crucial. She got leads from dentists during root canal procedure as well as along rail yards.
It took a lot of effort and sacrifice to rescue such artifacts considering the prevailing circumstances. The team was composed on individuals at the prime of their lives and careers. The cultural treasures were more important to them to the point of giving up their lives. Notable artists whose works were endangered include Van Eycks, Michelangelo and Da Vinci.
While risking their lives during combat, the group had a single mission. They were to save as much culture as possible from destruction or pillaging by the army. It would have been a great loss if the treasures were to disappear during the war. They display understanding of the threat posed by the loss and are ready to do something to save the situation. They were trained curators, art scholars, educators, museum directors, architects and archivists.
Support for the mission came from President Roosevelt and General Eisenhower. However, they were not provided with gasoline, typewriters, vehicles or necessary authority. This would make their mission very difficult and only possible with determination and good will. The original mission was to ensure that essential structures were not bombed. This would change because they did not determine the course of combat. They shifted to rescuing items after bombing.
The author offers a lay mans creation of the characters of these individuals. This is necessary considering the difficulty they are facing. It is a journey into their young lives, their passions and goals and how each finds himself in the mission. The extent of sacrifice is huge since some of them give-up their lives for the course.
It is worth noting that Hitler wanted to construct the largest museum in the world by collecting the best works during war. Immediately he invaded Poland, he began an attack on churches, private art collections and museums. This is how he got the finest art and hid it in remote castles and secret mines waiting for the war to end. He wanted to show that Aryan artists were superior to Jewish artists.
The different dimension of the Second World War as exposed in The Monuments Men Book diverts from known history. What is known during war is aimless destruction, but a group comes up to save artifacts that have no monetary value. A movie with a similar title has already been released.
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