Sunday, October 20, 2013

A Short Account Of The Monuments Men

By Megan Landry


Cultural, artistic and historic artifacts are imperative items to show how far a society has come. War is one of the greatest threats to this history and during the madness that ensues they invariably become casualties of war. Hence, the Monuments Men were sent out to find, preserve and protect these items from the Nazis as World War Two came to an end.

During the war, the Nazis expropriated countless artistic works of art and cultural artifacts. These included works by Michelangelo, da Vinci and Vermeer to name a few. As the Reich began to fall, German army members were ordered to destroy everything. This order placed irreplaceable pieces in jeopardy.

An improbable group, these gifted individuals were tasked with a specific mission, that being find and rescue as much art as possible. The group was made up of historians, curators and museum directors from across the world. The members were not army trained soldiers, nor did they have any ammunition or transportation. However, they still went into a precarious situation with a goals to achieve and history to preserve.

These men and women put their minds together and began to work. They tracked, identified and found location of a variety of art work. This mission really needed them to not only creative but resourceful too. They didn't have much in terms of back up, so need to work carefully. They accomplished their mission by utilizing secret informants, notes, journals and followed up on any hint that might lead them in the right direction. This meant laying their lives on the line and for many it meant losing their lives.

All wars are filled with untold accounts of brave and courageous people. It is imperative that these stories see the light of day. Not just because they remind people of what actually happened but also because it can inspire future societies. So, it's good to see their story articulated in a new feature film with a range of A list actors.

Thanks to the group's dedication, many owners got their priceless works of art back. On top of this activity, they were also in the restoration of culture in Europe post war. At a time when many were picking up the pieces of their lives, they provided some form of normal lifestyle for the artistic communities.

Years later, a foundation was formed to celebrate and acknowledge the contribution these individuals made to society. The foundation acts as a source of information about the lives of the members as well as the various items that were ultimately preserved. Visitors of all ages are able to learn more about the lives and history of these incredible people and their sacrifices. On top of that, the foundation continues to try and identify members who are still unnamed.

The Monuments Men are a constant reminder that everyone is capable of greatness. They were once deemed ordinary members of the community but went on to live very meaningful lives on a great scale. The preservation of history is an important act that reminds society not to make these same errors again.




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