Hitler's last hostages : looted art and the soul of the Third Reich

Adolf Hitler's obsession with art not only fueled his vision of a purified Nazi state--it was the core of his fascist ideology. Its aftermath lives on to this day. Nazism ascended by brute force and by cultural tyranny. Weimar Germany was a society in turmoil, and Hitler's rise was achieved not only by harnessing the military but also by restricting artistic expression. Hitler, an artist himself, promised the dejected citizens of postwar Germany a purified Reich, purged of "degenerate" influences. When Hitler came to power in 1933, he removed so-called "degenerate" art from German society and promoted artists whom he considered the embodiment of the "Aryan ideal." Artists who had produced challenging and provocative work fled the country. Curators and art dealers organized their stock. Thousands of great artworks disappeared--and only a fraction of them were rediscovered after World War II. In 2013, the German government confiscated roughly 1,300 works by Henri Matisse, George Grosz, Claude Monet, and other masters from the apartment of Cornelius Gurlitt, the reclusive son of one of Hitler's primary art dealers. For two years, the government kept the discovery a secret. In Hitler's Last Hostages , Mary M. Lane reveals the fate of those works and tells the definitive story of art in the Third Reich and Germany's ongoing struggle to right the wrongs of the past. The ambitious, riveting story of Hitler's obsession with art, how it fueled his vision of a purified Nazi state, and the fate of the artwork that was hidden, stolen, or destroyed to cleanse German culture The story of art is integral to the story of the rise of Nazi Germany. Adolf Hitler, an artist himself, was obsessed with art--in particular, the aesthetic of a purified regime, scoured of degenerate influences that characterized Germany during the 1920s and 1930s, when it was more culturally innovative and daring than anywhere else in the word. The Germany of Cabaret, hyperinflation, and Rosa Luxemburg was a society in turmoil, and among those who reveled in the discord were a generation of artists from George Grosz to Helmut Hertzfeld to Hannah Hoch for whom art was a political weapon. They were fierce, inspired, and rebellious, but to Hitler, they were anathema. When they came to power in 1933, Hitler and Goebbels set their aesthetic vision into motion and removed degenerate art from German life: Grosz and his family fled to America; museums were purged; and great works disappeared, only a fraction of which were rediscovered at the end of the Second World War. Most remained in garrets and cellars, the last hostages of the era of the Reich. In 2014, 1290 works by Chagall, Picasso, Matisse, Otto Dix, Max Beckmann and others were rediscovered. In Hitler's Last Hostages, Mary Lane brilliantly tells the story of art and the Third Reich, and the fate of Germany's great era of artists as they fought to survive the Nazi era The Story Of Art Is Integral To The Story Of The Rise Of Nazi Germany. Adolf Hitler, An Artist Himself, Was Obsessed With Art--in Particular, The Aesthetic Of A Purified Regime, Scoured Of 'degenerate' Influences That Characterized Germany During The 1920s And 1930s. When They Came To Power In 1933, Hitler And Goebbels Set Their Aesthetic Vision Into Motion And Removed Degenerate Art From German Life: Artists Fled The Country; Museums Were Purged; And Great Works Disappeared, Only A Fraction Of Which Were Rediscovered At The End Of The Second World War. Most Remained In Garrets And Cellars, The Last Hostages Of The Era Of The Reich. In 2013, 1290 Works By Chagall, Picasso, Matisse, Otto Dix, Max Beckmann And Others Were Rediscovered. In Hitler's Last Hostages, Mary Lane Brilliantly Tells The Story Of Art And The Third Reich, And The Fate Of Germany's Great Artists As They Fought To Survive The Nazi Era-- Prologue: Wake-up Call -- Portrait Of The Dictator As A Young Man -- Enigma Of War -- Eclipse Of The Sun -- Adolf's Silver Hammer -- Bad Company Corrupts Good Morals -- Cultural Complicity -- Revisionist History -- Our Sincere Condolences -- Hitler's Last Hostages -- Epilogue: Business As Usual -- Timeline. Mary M. Lane. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "The story of art is integral to the story of the rise of Nazi Germany. Adolf Hitler, an artist himself, was obsessed with art--in particular, the aesthetic of a purified regime, scoured of 'degenerate' influences that characterized Germany during the 1920s and 1930s. When they came to power in 1933, Hitler and Goebbels set their aesthetic vision into motion and removed degenerate art from German life: artists fled the country; museums were purged; and great works disappeared, only a fraction of which were rediscovered at the end of the Second World War. Most remained in garrets and cellars, the last hostages of the era of the Reich. In 2013, 1290 works by Chagall, Picasso, Matisse, Otto Dix, Max Beckmann and others were rediscovered. In Hitler's Last Hostages, Mary Lane brilliantly tells the story of art and the Third Reich, and the fate of Germany's great artists as they fought to survive the Nazi era"-- Provided by publisher