Title: Fascinating Art Collections in Hitler's Collection: A Lost and Recovered Historical Legend
When Hitler was young, he roamed Europe as a wandering artist and left many paintings. However, even after becoming the ruler of Germany, his love for art never stopped. Between 1933 and 1945, Hitler collected a collection of the world's most precious works of art through various means, and these priceless works are breathtaking.
1. The head of Queen Nefertiti of Egypt: an accidental discovery by archaeologists
In 1912, German archaeologists accidentally discovered artifacts of Nefertiti's bust during an excavation in Egypt. Although the head has lost an eye and its ear is broken, it remains one of the most precious artifacts in the world at the time. German archaeologists brought the artifact back to Germany and it was publicly displayed in a museum in Berlin in 1933. After Hitler came to power, this treasure became his private collection.
2. "Mona Lisa of Austria": the work of the painter
This portrait of Adele Bloch Bauer, painted by Gustav Klimt in 1904, took three years to complete. Using his wife as a model, the artist redecorated some details in gold. The painting is known as the "Mona Lisa of Austria". As an Austrian-born Hitler, he naturally had a soft spot for this painting. In 1938, the Nazi Party carried out so-called "protective guardianship" of the painting.
3. "Portrait of Dr. Gachet": A treasure that has been lost and recovered
In 1933, Sent van Gogh was included in Hitler's list of "degenerate artists", and many of his famous paintings were lost. One of these works is "Portrait of Dr. Gachet". However, before World War II, the painting actually fell into the hands of the Nazis. Hitler didn't seem to have much interest in Van Gogh at the time, and in 1937 the painting was sold to a financier for a very low price.
4. Adam and Eve: Behind the transnational controversy
In 2018, a U.S. appeals court ruled that the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, California, legally owned the rights to two paintings of Adam and Eve that had been stolen by Germany during World War II. The court found that the paintings were legally sold to the Germans and subsequently to the Americans. But the family that owns the lawsuit says the paintings were forcibly sold by the Nazis.
5. "Portrait of a Young Man": The mystery of the diaspora
Raphael painted this Portrait of a Young Man in 1514. During World War II, the painting was discovered and looted by the Germans while exhibiting in a museum in Italy. A number of art-loving German officials competed for ownership of the painting, which was eventually seized by the Polish governor-general, Hans Frank. However, when the governor was captured in 1945, the painting disappeared without a trace.
6. The Amber Room: Treasure in the midst of war
The Amber Room is a wine room decorated with gold leaf and amber plaques, filled with treasure-like treasures. This room was originally gifted to the Tsar by the Prussian royal family in 1716. However, during World War II, the Germans found the room in St. Petersburg and dismantled it and transported it. To this day, the whereabouts of the Amber Room are still unknown.
7. The statue of Madame Bruges: a feat of returning to its place
Michelangelo painted this statue, called Madame Bruges, between 1501 and 1504. It was taken to a cathedral in Belgium and taken away in 1944 when the Germans retreated. To conceal its whereabouts, they transported it in trucks marked with the Red Cross. A year later, the statue of Madame Bruges was found by the salt mine workers and returned to Belgium, where it was eventually returned to the Church of Our Lady of Bruges.
These precious works of art carry a history of war and culture. Although most have been recovered, a few have been nowhere to be found. The stories behind these works not only show the precious value of the artworks, but also outline the great destruction of human culture during World War II. History is always thought-provoking, and we should cherish and protect the wealth that belongs to our common civilization.
