The Rape of Europa
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Movie Reviews of The Rape of Europa
Movie Review: Extremely interesting documentary
Summary: 5 Stars
This film focuses on an aspect of World War II that is often missed, which is the massive systematic theft of the art treasures of Europe by the Nazis. Adolph Hitler, a frustrated artist, brought the considerable forces of the Third Reich to not only produce the Holocaust, but to engage in massive theft of art which he admired and the destruction of art and culture which he despised.
In the film, we learn of Hitler's ambitions as an artist and his philosophy of art and imagery. Social Realism eventually became his primary focus, and he supported German artists who portrayed the German people as idealistic, beautiful, god-like family-loving creatures. He also knew what he did not like, which was works by Jews and works influenced by the modernist movement. He supported an exhibition of degenerate art pulled from Germany's museums and sold at bargain basement prices after the show. These include the works of Edvard Munch, Emile Nolde, Max Beckman, Kathe Kollwitz, Egon Schiele, Arnold Schoenberg, Paul Klee, Piet Mondrian, and Vassily Kandinsky.
The film also takes us into the surreal world of drug addicted Hermann Goering, the second most powerful man in Germany. Goering stole art at a terrific rate, collecting over 1700 masterpiece works of art in his mountain hunting lodge alone.
As Germany invades Poland, we see the destruction of great Slavic treasures by the Nazi front line troops. The Slavic people were judged to be inferior to the Germans and thus Hitler could care less about preservation of their heritage.
The evacuation of the Louvre was a spectacular part of the film, demonstrating the commitment, creativity, and bravery of the French people in taking all the art from the Louvre and hiding it in the French countryside. The story of the packaging and hiding of the Winged Victory was an inspiration. The story is told of a young French woman clerk who works in the Jeaux de Paume which the Nazis used as a storehouse for the French art they were able to obtain to ship back to Germany. This young woman did not let the German's know that she could read and write German and thus she was able to learn where many art works had been stolen and where they had been sent. Each day when she went home she wrote in a personal diary everything she could remember about the thefts and their destinations which she learned from reading labels on crates. What a wonderful film this true episode might make.
The invasion of Russia threatened the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. Like the Louvre, the people endured great hardship to hide and protect the art treasures of Russia.
General Eisenhower created the Monuments Men, a group of artists and art historians that advised on war maneuvers so as to produce the least amount of harm and destruction when fighting the Nazis and driving them out of Greece, Italy, and France. The story of the Monuments Men also would make a fantastic stand alone film.
The film focuses on the Gustav Klimt painting of a portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer, a wealthy Jewish patron of the arts in Vienna. The controversy over this painting was fascinating, including how to interpret a will written in a happier time.
The tragedies of the destruction of the Monastery of Monte Cassino, the Renaissance bridge in Florence, and the Capisanto in Pisa were well explained.
Overall the film is excellent and is a testimony of how great art is an inspiration to a nation and how the people of free nations will sacrifice for the preservation of their cultural heritage.
Movie Review: Nazi's Art Plundering During World War II
Summary: 5 Stars
As a young man Hilter was an aspiring but mediocre painter. But Hitler's artistic ambitions were thwarted when he was not accepted into the Academy Of Fine Arts in Vienna. Many of those on the admission board were apparently Jewish and some historians blame this rejection as playing an important role in the development of Hitler's rabid anti-Semitism.
This doc begins with a discussion of the Nazi's hatred of modern art, which they considered a "degenerate" Jewish form, and their obsession with collecting classical works of art. From there the film proceeds chronologically through the German invasions of Austria, Poland, France and Russia. In each place the Nazis plundered great works of art. Some were taken into private collections, such as the vast number owned by Hermann Goering, the Nazi's second in command. Others were placed in storage, with Hilter's ultimate goal being to create a massive Fuhrer Museum in his hometown of Linz, Austria.
Fortunately, massive evacuations were undertaken at the Louvre in Paris and the Hermitage in Leningard, which successfully hid numerous works of classic art from theft by the Nazis. But it wasn't only the Germans who did the plundering. The Soviets also engaged in massive looting of German art during their raids on Berlin. Also some Italian art and architecture was destroyed by American bombing. But, to their credit, the Americans also begin sending in Monuments Men who were entrusted with helping preserve art from further destruction and confiscating the works that had being stolen by the Germans.
The film contains a mix of extraordinary archival footage with narration by Joan Allen and interviews with various art historians and others. At close to 2 hours, it is rather long for a documentary and some may find it slow at times. But with it's primary purpose education rather than entertainment, it is best appreciated by those with a strong interest in European art and Nazi atrocities. It is a very well made documentary, however, and comes highly recommeded to those with at least some interest in the subject matter.
Movie Review: Amazing
Summary: 5 Stars
I just watched this last evening on PBS, absolutely wonderful!! I am not well informed regarding World War II or Hitler. Of course I know the basics, but I have not read a book about World War II, except The Diary of Ann Frank when I was young. I have watched some shows on the History channel, but usually only partially. My point is, I am not well informed on this subject, or seek it out as a special interest , and I found this show to be excellent and essential. It was very mesmerizing, the use of old films and photos were amazing. It would keep anyone's attention, it was not a dry documentary. I cannot imagine that in the present day, we would really empty out a whole museum like the Louvre to save the artwork- what an undertaking. Like other reviewers, I was wishing my children had seen this in school ( they just recently graduated and are in college), and was thinking of ways teachers could incorporate this in their curriculum. Definitely a show you can watch again. It is very enlightening about Hitler, the war and just art. How many individuals placed such value and their whole culture in art, how emotional and important art is to life etc. I am already trying to figure out how I can see this again. As other reviewers mentioned, the live film footage is amazing. I see this is also a book, and is probably very good however the live film footage makes this a very valuable video, even if you prefer books or have read the book. I am surprised how much of the packing and saving of the artwork was filmed when they were trying to hide this from Hitler! Definitely a must see. I am curious if this is just one person's view or would Hitler have been different if he had not been rejected from the Vienna Art Institute? Would our history be different if Hitler had been admitted to art school? What a thought, what a possibility. This really puts into perspective how Hitlers view affected many different areas of life. It also shows how many knew the importance of saving this art that Hitler wanted to destroy.Movie Review: Lost art
Summary: 5 Stars
During World War II, the Nazi regime systematically plundered the great art in countries and cities they occupied. "The Rape of Europa" documents the staggering extent of this theft. Starting in Poland and continuing throughout Europe, Hitler cherry-picked artwork he liked and had it shipped to Germany, where it was hidden in country-side chateaus and salt mines. The Nazis would first take the art of Jews sent to concentration camps, and then they gradually moved on to seize art from national museums. Much of what Hitler didn't like, including Modern Art and works of art by Jews, was destroyed or sold on the cheap. Just as he viewed Jews and others as subhuman, Hitler branded this art as unworthy. As the Allies attempted to recapture territory, the bombing destroyed much art, particularly monuments, and the retreating Nazis would often purposefully burn or bomb what remained. The result was the raping of European art that took decades to sort out and begin to rectify. Much art went missing, either destroyed or still hidden somewhere in Europe; however, some of these works occasionally surface.
"The Rape of Europa" is well-constructed with excellent narration by Joan Allen. Piecing together interviews with witnesses and clips from the war, this riveting documentary also considers the moral dilemmas that have arisen from this stolen art, some of which continue to the present. For example, a painting stolen from a Jewish family was discovered a few years ago in a small Utah art museum. In a moving ceremony, the museum returned the painting to the rightful owner. However, not all recovered art has been treated similarly, which has resulted in bitter court and political fights. Obviously, the loss of art cannot be compared to the loss of life suffered during the war, but it's an important topic that adds to the tapestry of information available about WWII. A real must for those interested in art or WWII.
Movie Review: Excellent Accounts Of War Injustices By The Germans, Americans, and Russians
Summary: 5 Stars
The movie is aptly titled "The Rape of Europe" - the war and the conflicts led the Germans, Americans, and Russians to destroy each others' art and cultural heritages.
I am an avid art historian, and I am grateful this documentary was made. It recounts many atrocities of Hitler's ravages across Europe. Unquestionably, Hitler and the Germans systematically stole or destroyed art and culture from others. It is important for future generations to remember the immeasurable harm that came from the Nazis' conquest to attempt to achieve their vision of a larger and richer German empire, an empire that was built on the false moral premises that they were racially superior and it was acceptable for them to steal from racially-inferior people.
Other reviewers have warrantedly criticized this documentary for not equally reporting on the American and Russian destruction of their adversaries' art and cultural buildings. There are a few accounts of American and Russian carpet bombings. There are specific accounts of American attempts to avoid unnecessarily destroying some of their adversaires' cities and structures, but this documentary appears to have primarily a pro-allies perspective. I wish the documentary had accounted more of the allied atrocities. This war led all the nations involved to commit unbearable horrors against each other. World War II eventually led all the nations involved to participate in a rape of European arts, civility, and cultures.