Nazi Art Looting and the Monuments Men at the Nelson-Atkins

Works of art have often been plundered as spoils of war, but the Nazis looted art on an unprecedented scale, stealing thousands of objects from throughout Europe. Jewish collectors were particularly affected due to Nazi laws that forbade Jews from owning property. Modern art, which Hitler considered “degenerate,” was often destroyed or sold. After the war, members of the Allied forces – known today as “Monuments Men” – recovered much of this looted art, but other objects disappeared in the chaos of war and remain lost today. In this program, MacKenzie Mallon, Provenance Specialist at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, will discuss Nazi art looting, the role of the Monuments Men, and how these events are still relevant today.