THE WATER COLOURS 
OF HITLER 


RECOVERED ART WORKS 
HOMAGE TO RODOLFO SLULERO 


ALINARI 



















The water colours of Hitler 


Recovered arl works 

Homage to Rodolfo Siviero 


with lexis by 

En 7.u Cnlhuti and Ricc^ifdo Marian i 


ALINAR] 


]'Iil C&Hmisrw di rjr^'n^ 1 -iniih tin 1 eeUiLboratloii Lind puirn jj= - 
the .Micii-,lL-i u diru I i Affari E<k‘ri 
u.iitl the MiiiiMcTii plt L B'. im Cttliurfili c Ambienlati 

i\':ilrn .WuriI r C dl FireCLBC 

Recovered 11 ■ wrk* ■ tthOniagc cu Rudulfo \"it"Tfi 
Thu wliLli CO] OUT B uf" HirJer 

Wiih due niiirunjipL 1 ol chu JVL'-idL-nc uf the Republic 
PkuvncL-. Liit- Pitliiiao Veechio from -^ih Inna, 19$4 

Executh l- committee 

AIc^sMindrui Huyul 

LtfUlii Ialh l Hl’sl 
Plnu KiijjKMLii'i i 
Jkrgki Sri hi 
iVdn TllilIlIIi 

P?ep-ilr#Ii&Tt 

Duodo TMJ with ibu tsettaboFacJijii 
uf Giuo Gumbj and Cristina Ful i-m i 

JVi-p/fte* amt public rehtlians 
Pitta ILi^iuniur: 

Gentmt ammtlteni 

SeqjMJ Sihi 

('ifr<iti>r\ 

Kl ;i iIi'li Sottani 

Leonardo Siiiuoci 

Tftsidfcj ting I'J.'i# ft}r - 1 r- : ■ m/JciJin ruUftK uf tf\4 Sijr&mUendttTfZS 

p* r r Belli r ri.'■riLT e Storiei «j Florence ami J 1 !.'rt^i« u\ ciit- yof 

I ucioru) Hi.-rti, Superintendent 

Emma to idiclritt, Vbce Siipeirtnieridcsil 

Silvia Mt'liim. Pi rector-of ihf C#£s [utjne Office and el ihv rhoiu|fr:ip?i PepprUneixt 
Beatrice Paolossl Stroiii, Iru-'jHector 

Fitnhet (in- (hie (a the fulluu rn f\ 

GiulL* Caris Argali. PJar Lu1g( Mini. Lncidu Blu lull. KiiLiildu Bliusc, 

I {jsiario Berti, Vimsnn Colkdls, Gerardo Pe r>innt>, FI in CiahhiLifimini, 

AtlrLanu Mil'i Mm. I<u_'t1■ Muiiiilhj, Ai'iI■= n i'i t ij P-:11.1kI-:.k.I. Ah'^hi^ndi'n Put ttiriL In, 

Ri ibr'Tlo iuiti ini, l.ui^i holuri. Aim in OrtiruJ. Murm. UhCttiWitt V i ij l■_■ n I i 11 i. 

CuLaln^uL' hy 
FratvJ.lj Alinjii i Edi trier 
Director of Piihii \ hittf. 

Cbmtlia Bdtra m o Ceppl Zevl 

Edited bj 
Anoka iv Ekudi 

Ti'-ii'i; iri'J bj 

Aniudis# An-jgcJetli 

Fuiulh Afinari Edicikc. Flureitcaj ISM 

PriuLrd hv It alESSi OrfdlcJii S. Pbiinj ;l Pnnli FlOhtnce 

ISBN H-72M-05+X 



nm wafer i-u!ntiT\ UltUr cn show in the p.itetzo Vecchio, in tt special 
section of ;hf exhibition of art Wt»rfcj recovered by Rodolfo S/ciero. 

Sunlit! rrihf i)r .n-i-n u.i d profamtim pf the COlkcHon t>! mcl.Werplt'ie.-, fit- 

kfn divH^ by the V«-r:. often by the direct order of the Fiihrcr, AW should 
die exhibition of this series of 'postcards 1 by d modest Sunday painter ivfto 
Kfu destined to commit the mosi dreadful crimes against Humanity in 
any way offend the values being celebrated this year m Florence en (Jss oc¬ 
casion of the fortieth a*m(w«<w? of the tibemtitm of the city from the 
Wazi-fiiscists. On the n^i/rury. thr exhibition uf Hitler's paimittin, form* 
part of the Jinmuptr being paid to Sivdero who, cm receiving them from 
Martin Barmanns wife, brought them to Florence with the idea of exhibi¬ 
ting them, 

The water colours, apart from uariittg an understandable, curiosity. fim 
nfferfyn,d for thought. The introductory essay by Ettio C&Uottl offers so 
me .'•timnkitin% thoughts hath On the aesthetics of Naziism directed to¬ 
wards the senmt for the classicism Identified with the rest ideal fas seen 
in the LsmctdfoUi DiscabalusX and ofl the personal tastes of Hitter, obses¬ 
sed, (is can be SiCn from his bamd series of views, by a Son t>f martin for 
the exact reproduction from life. 

Lastly, hk have the opportunity ra reflect on Nazi politics regarding rhe n<- 

qttisilon ur, ph ore brutally the iheft and plunder of the artistic patrimony 

of Europe. 

Rodolfo Siviaro sel firms®// against this plundering wiifi results which 
mar lodtt\ he JWfl here m the Pislucz if I'i-h 'i ii ni. .inr/ die presence of 
Hitler’s paintings is a symbol of the defeat of NaziiSm, not the German 
pSOpk u-. \mh which, i'pr memory of SivlttO, 11^ art ceiebroting fodt jv 
along with th l' rcacqussitian of freedom. 


Giorgio Mantles 
ALJl-i nidi] foi 
Cultural Activities 
Com'UTie lLl Firenze 




77tif exhibition cf Hiller'.-, Wpler iolotit'S If <1 < t»itT difficult and SlirtmliH- 
Tni^. Si i s presented by the Comune di Firertse along with she works of att 
taken tiuirv by ihv Haiti tiujing a ddCfiiSt Of Cultural rpppOrt with lta!\\ 
and laser recovered by Rodolfo Sivieru in Ce-rrnany at the end of the war. 
Bmh the difficulty and dte stimulus n>a mezssary critical In^'csnptUlon cf 
this txltibiStOn Hi frt Sht painter himself, JM the particular historical epoch 
during which they were painted, and j'fi- nil the historical aml political mr- 
plications that tbit pamicr-ihough n<u of sttch-ctc&ud and left In our com 
txnenl and el sew fie re. 

Many ArjdJifi.h have ln-e.\i wruu-n ahum tin- special rapport between inter- 
preic rs of history and of painting, or better mill of "tine concept of heaaiy :, 
From Charles X of Sweden who, j'rr raids or; Poland, hcln eerr one hti! 
tie anti another look possession of the entire patrimony of Renaissance 
manuscripts and classical texts Hum the royal librai ■. of the Jogelkmidl at 
Cracow, wMipofcM in kit militaryortistic campaigns in Italy and Egypt, 
to die Ottoman in their taidPer.da, there imj always 

and ever a particular rapport of conflicting admiration and envy for what 
fhe people they oppressed had Ifeen ahie to neate and offer i>'- the field t/f 
nr; to their conquems. 

/Is regard*. the personality of Hitler in this t urrte.u, a reading of theessays 
of Colloid wtdMaflstti provides a vahioMc contribution to the underside 
ding of the painter's clmracter and of the particular historical epoch eh 
which he worked. 


Cliud io dc P<jI<j 
Prusidum 
Fnilc]]i Alm<iri lidil rice 



Blood and water colours 


Ttjt water colonrs of Httlet fall undeniably .^jh- the category of genre 
paintings. This i.-, ffVEt/enJ from the technique ri-rrf. Water-colour is a sin 
giihir technique, at once ingenuous tmd refined, and strongly assot kited 
with the amateur and the academic, t> predtlCnfilnCS arid limits the put 
pose a mi scope <■>( rirg v.'mii to hr executed. B\ Hitler's case i> is evident 
a i fct)T'B <r If in rJrr choice a; subject reprmedly executed wiilt maniscol oh 
sessiveness anii mi-u.'Hi-.-:.-;. They are all views, ur/icm lunik-mpcs inr , 1 '. 1 m l 
pCtttJhiGriaf awkwardly drawn figure passing in front of 1 1 background do¬ 
minated by monuments reproduced with irreproachable accuracy, 
Hiller's watercolours nr,'ail illuminating and coherent pri face to tlte offi¬ 
cial painting of die Third Raich to be established over ;wf\iiy years later, 
u'l- >cj.v this m view af ike wkat came out ft j' example, f(» the exhibition 
entitled 'Xt> under the Thin 1 Eeich^locuments of oppression' held cl the 
Frankfurter Kunihfnin in JV 7 -J. 

Painting during the Nazi era HQfnol only inspired by the ideas and reflec¬ 
tions on n>-> of Hitler otid his collaborators but was also, cs we have said r 
anticipated by Hitler himself ljs painter. According to the iI'/r^v■ if Opi¬ 
nion of Barthold Hint, the an of the Third Reich ik essentially, at least 
in Wil' field of figumtlv 1 * un-architecture, obviously, <.■ different 
nuiuri d .Hidden n eliabilitatian of genre pointing in opposition to the dege¬ 
nerate {modem, avant guard) c-rf produced by the bourgeoisie- it appears 
obvious that even genre painting itself wees a product \>i the bourgeoisie- 
and tit the most a1 i t of rffi> L- losttr Tki J 1$ I rrn- .i { a t! nr,' j\u'H e ij.' JtSS{£ ' r> ^ 
.ViJ jisrH , iiikr ■ i Kilt, updated from t very passible different source, from 
Dutch painting of the XVllsh century and the provincial palming of B®\ ;■ 
rru laat !he T\ml of the XVUTih century, u> the style of Biedermeier, tmd 

even to So, . aspects of the Neut Sachllchkcit (evert though this belongs to 

the opposite, fiercely combatted tendency), OS was demonstrated by the 
suggestive examples hung in the Realism exhibition held at Beaubourg in 
I'M! IViffi regard :o this interference with SOitii of tlw 'New Ob¬ 

jectivity' it '■huitltl he said ihci ,kj .'riLiiiiy and brutal a coincidence of op¬ 
posite*. though i» this case only in certain sectors, is present in the very 
ruais at Nazi culture (as the bloody destiny of National Socialism demon- 



Stmles on a political level), To faJfeej far example, that strange 'Nazi (hire 
id'r fit* Italian Julius Evoix whilst Hitler wb painling his landscapes, 
Evola was active in Italy ns a dadaist painter. And i: i.- well knoivn that 
Dadaism (which was perhaps the md linguistic tevolutin?/ - in it re field 
f>lar! r. ivj — of GUr 1 CttttUr?} had the honour of being angrily and ■ m ^ , - 
ly died in the very pages of Kampf. This j■ i the name of a bright* 
"V t’hin for art which HWS u> became 'calm'and relaxed 'and disdain 
any change in fashion or style, any aggressive deformation, In fact- it 
LLYj/jJdJ hv. to J (ty (he lira-,;, art exaggeration >a consider Hitler 'a grim Shu- 
day painter' as he has sometimes beet; called. 

Above all, Hitler was not r tally A SmtfdiJjf pitiritcr, LJi-r CJirrfj fL-rr h/u a small 
time professional painter u areiwjg from Monday to Saturday: and tin n his 
water colours show i/.'dr a palmer ll>di-r «^aj any thing but grim', ihe 
expressionists were, much mom so, Hiller was grim fthoitgh here die word 
inadequate) u.-; die author of die politiad pntfgntwtFfie described and an- 
rtOimced by him a-' R&uscfomng Os "a gre«( landscape painted on the back¬ 
cloth oj out stage'and U(j. r as the author of innocuous aiid trivial urban 
landscapes. 

If anything Hitler's water colours show the admired (even w.'j a stylistic le¬ 
vel/, ij/genui)ti.i sentimental approach of an Austrian provincial (but (/h-r> 
''great German') to the capital, V*ienna (and then to Munich), revisited a!- 
most as tm tans! in some 'sacred'places; d feeling of admiration 

mixed wish «» ■■ unr/ fealot4sy imsmttch as Hitler came frt»» rite country 
and considered himself close to the- soil and rout.- of the nation, with the 
peasants diffidence towards the cosmopolitan city. Nevertheless, he was 
to fix with colours uhe irony of destiny) some sublime room cuts 

in the life i yf the city as objectives which had to be overcome through the 
Insurrection of a cultural 'mrality'the dvru-.il/ir-. ,>{ the true valuer of the 
race. He 'fixed 1 I hen using methods by now obsolete, once a product of 
the cosmopolitan city „ Inter to be relegated «/ provincial art schools, me 
th&di which if if fir imagined Jt i be perennial. The results were more vi>l- 
Jiilsh than vfilkihch. 

It is probable that Hitler copied from the picture postcards of the era. As a 
copyist be can be compared (if the reader will pardon the blasphemyj with 
another copier of postcards, this rim* an iH.-i.-mon- one, Utrillo, Leaving 



ttmles on a political level), To lake, far example-, that strange \i ij if'in¬ 
ker tht Italian Julius Evofa: ll-.'i r Hitler wits pat min a his landscapes, 
f :'i cji i l 4 was utTrir in Italy us u dadaist painter. And il is wii! known that 
ftuLJdisjjj (which tufj perhaps the md Ungtdsffc revolution - in the Held 
of a r) hwj — of our CtntUTs'f had the honour of hi'i»a angrily dfrrV ncgralii ^ , - 
ly cited in the very pages of Kampf. This m the name of a brighte 
■lirri; lip plan for art which w/sIS to tfCSftK '< aim ' rj 11 (l 'relaxed* and disdain 
any change in fashion or style, any aggressive deformation. In fan- ii 
ii-oidd h,\ >t> \ay the fc’dSlj on era-ggOrAtiOn jo consider Hiller 'a grim Shh- 
day painter" os fie has sometimes been called. 

Above ait link-ru.n.\ nos realty a Sunday ptlinic-r, art amateur, hm a small 
time professional painter u orkirtg from Monday to Saturday: and :fn n ifi.v 
water colours ihst <.■' a pelmet Hitler dnyjfciwg but grim'. TIht 
expressionists were, much more so. Hiller was grim (though here the word 
is inadequate) d.^ die author of die political programme described and inu 
ntjnrux'd by him {?■' Rtiusclmirig ftj V) great landscape pci in ted on the back¬ 
cloth of out stage'and U(j. r as the author of innocuous and trivial urban 

kcr/d stapes. 

if anything, Hitler's water colours show die admired (even jj.'j a stylistic le* 
vet), tngenmm, senilntenial approach of an Austrian provincial {but (dsn 
'great German') to the capital, Vienna rdrtLV then to Munich), revisited a!- 
must us art 'inside' tunrisi in some 'suered'places, d feeling of admiration 
mixed wish em ■■ and fcalotdsy inasmuch as Hitter came {mm the country 
and considered himself close- io the ssl! nttd roots of the nation, wi/ik die 
peasants diffidence toviurds the cosmopolitan city, Nevertheless, he wsis 
;u fix with tf rr. 1 ^' colours triri' irony of destiny) some sublime moments 
in the life i yf P\ l- city d.-; objectives which had to fit- ir.vrc (/me dt rough die 
Insurrection of a cultural 'mrallty' the depositary of the true values of the 
race. He 'fixed' them using methods by now obsolete, once a product <>f 
the cosmopolitan city „ hue r to he relegated m provincial art school f, me 
thods which ifilter imagined J^i bt perennial. The re.suits were more voi- 
Jtilsh (him vulkisch. 

It is pr/dxible thot llillsr copied (m?n the picture postcards of the era. .-Is 1 a 
copyist be am be compared (if the reader will perdan the blasphemy) with 
another copter of postcards, this time cn iHus-mau-, one, Utrillo, Leaving 



aside tit bfeet rjnJ technique and com twin* the mutts obtained, the ae¬ 
sthetic abyss which separates the two becomes apparent !> is precisely Hi 
tier's greater technical expertise (in the scholastu s.'rhrj whit h renders his 
hews iomll\ flat and devoid 1 1{ inner light or poetry, whilst the less rt'L ^r- 
nicat' Utrillo's twtnlng from d bold infidelity m his humble models {»■<> 
duce sijc/i valid and hapny results bath an artistic and a technical fei el 

{tar technique, especially i it prjJwtog should wewrte rigfrfl 
One could, ;r is true, attempt a further parados and credit Hitler with 
being a precursor of the type of puiming fashionable today md not with 
(jji r a ly tmtn i-j i rii>t(.- validity, known as'anachronism j 'hype r rn-ij 111 lerism 1 
<» ’qmtationi"- hi a liitlrr recopied (too well and therefore badly} only po 
stcards which hud no permanent value. Or at least ii appears that he et> 
pled them. And his quotations arc therefore terribly just as nil the 
genre painting i/f the Third Reich is terribly w*dfc despite alt tin- pomp of 
the cm end the my .. 

This exhibition trf Hitler's water colours can therefore be {naked fir hi cut 
historical fight and be ton -r* a fort of preface, ideal d end rely perso¬ 
nal, la the senes of official exhibitions on giwH themes which abounded 
in the thirties . 'j Germany (the first modern example of the travelling and 
centralized collective show} See wi in this way it is a useful record, 

'Urban landscapes of Vienna and Munich', then, can be see 11 a-, <i prelude 
to such exhibitions as 'Wife and Mather*, The Forest 1 , 'The Sen'. "The Ger¬ 
man Peasant', 'The Germm Countryside'. The Horse in Art\ 'Factory 
‘War 1 uricl writer which li>f>k place i»r Hitler's Germany in the 
thirties. It should not forgotten that much other vieuiwiphy being pro¬ 
duced in various countries, including u-nr omij was als^ genre painting, 
And ii j's uni necessarily the raw that id! of these efforts, tu :he shame t>< 
ilteir formal common denominator, are only fit, ai regards quality, m he 
thrown away. If is only very probable. 


s^ng&Q Suk-j 
Director ol I^l' 
Centra Mgslre lM Flremze 



ArL and Maziism 



Art and Naziism 

Enzo it i i 


The cutiurul oppoiltlun of (be 
IwinliEitL lowardu u ipeclflcalb 
German art 

Ti> Identify iI'L l- aesthetics of Nti- 
ziiEm with the tastes and ideas 

;s':ii mi: Lirt ijt Hitler would nn do Lib- 
led fy bcboth pLMtlLil and m;i(kqu.L- 
IS, Nevertheless, fiiL- latter cannot 
be diwassoc iMed From the idcolt) 
gt and practice of au'i which assu¬ 
med Lin ofTicial character under 
the Naiioftal Socialist regime II 
l" wished to trace a definition ul 
;srl in Htilcr'? lir-,1 political mnnU 
Fcsto we would only ibid a nega i (ve 
<1110: lli Mtit; Kampf, at the same 
moment in which the 'Boldimsm 
of lI r I i--. defined as the on! } possi¬ 
ble asboluie exoretslon of Bolshe¬ 
vism from a cultural arid mi I el k* 

tuul p.1 of view, war on modem 

int, li 11 modem lm:, is declared. An* 
ticipatbig what Is almost con¬ 
stant in Hiller's ideas an the aril* 
silc cu i t eni -n . .1 the time, iHl- fawn- 
rite targets are Dadaism and Cu* 
hum. none other than 'the morbid 
excesses ol individuals who were 
|K' 1 -v <.■ r 1ed llm lL .jll; q| their wii>'. 
Slil-Ii judgements alreed} implica* 
if 1 he transformation of lm i from 
the expression of Free activity of 
culture. or as was to Ik- said else- 
w lie re. of ha led 1 1 bi*iLi I phi ml Esrtl, iri- 
[0 jl lull. 1 1 cm destined to be dinee- 
11 «' nt rt■ I led tj ibe State. Modem 
_Lj 1 is a degciteration and prostitu¬ 
tion (il culture: close]} linked Lu 
I he crisis of the tw^HEies and Ibe 
CO n sequences 1 hi tfie world war 
whose effect! manifest n-ii1 

particular!} in ibe Field ol at l 
1 li 11 huj-.fi (hr- Fragmentation ul old 
forms of communication fund il^' 
search I nr flew means Ld expres- 
sion, and beh'i^ incapable ot pla- 

l- i 11 l\ 1 Ml- -.l- iic w £ ermen l s within the 


centuries old course I hi :n 111 ■-1 i; il- 
search, Adolf nil let had few 

Lluub;:- on Mil' place lIul- la his art i- 
st Ic i?ontemporaries who expres¬ 
sed the post-war ■,ri',i', with giL'.i 
1 l- 1 i riL| li ll' 11.jlJl' . " Si .v. 1} years ago — 
he wrote — on exhibition ■ jI bo 
called dadaist ’experiences' would 
simp!} Iihvl 1 been impossible and 
1 he (1 i-gLi 11 i would have f ini sIil-lJ 

up Iii .Li 1 asylum, whilst today they 
h r:d 1] k*iifiselei en presid Lrig 
over artistic associations". But one 
daj this scandal would come n> an 
end because ’it is the job of iIicSili- 
w kj prove sit people from falling 
irMu -npiritual Fully ' 1 
TIil- pretext of guananSeeing the 
spiritual health of the people, 1 it 
1 he col let tivity. is From now on im- 
plicitely ur explicitly linked 10 bu¬ 
ddy health: here, in fact, Ln these 
propositions, we can sd ready see 
all the basic premises al racism. In 
its turn, the racist determinism ol 
Nazi ideology is the fruit of a cultu¬ 
re I de terminism, 1 Eve ry racr, in o r- 
det to preserve lu existence, acts 
on the basis of 1 lie energies and va* 

Iuej which, belong to Ll by nature. 
(Jnl> li nun Ml tin - heroism tlnnk'; 
and acts herolcalIv, given that pro¬ 
vidence has furnished 1 .with the 

appropriate requa rements. "With 
these pronouncements, expressed 
to the culture SCSSion jl[ lIil: Nu^i 
party congress in I 43 J al Nurim* 
berj^, Hitler anticipated and in part 
L'lirii Inncd lhf concietc lines of ti 
cultural policy that had already 
been F ji d into practice !>■■ the first 
months ol I lie SLi/i regime The 
I Or li March, NJb IilkI seen lIic i i- 
ulliI and symbolic burning of b:m- 
ill J booLs destined t<' predetermi¬ 
ne, agairi i:h li condemnation and 
ritual destruction, the lines of 
compsadbiliiy with tliL- racist iVefl 


tptscfwitung <■! (tie regime, the 
“heroic doctrine of values of blood 
race and personaEity", Ltvipj-inr i^lI, 
on ihe “eternal laws of sdeaiM J '. 
As hist< 11 ^ ufid l u I [ ure we re bent to 
I he uses of Ihe lie 1 .'- racist WrflflFt- 
cultural policy imme¬ 
diately became a pn-ii'H dl select ton 
ill the Interpretative canons, Ra¬ 
cist conditioning oF culture fiod art 
;ikij predetermined l)il model, the 
only pemiisiible model, the Style, 
The lie i otc aesthetic oi ha/i Ism, 
sel il sel 1' up os llie 1 k l i r lO I he i lIl-; i I s 
;uid iiijjLuiT, '..'t [ he ancient races 
with their like ideas or “mass here¬ 
dity'' of pure hiiMid. Nazi Kaoclas- 
K-idsm, False and rlwlotrlcat, l„l- 
me inf..' lwin|j through the amitexa- 
1 Lon 1o A riatn Mu rtf ic M eo-pa ganlstll 
ill the Greco-Romars tradition, rend 
mu ^ li historical tradition but as 

li n eternal model; il African Liii be* 

inn^.-n only id Africa, Greco Roman 

a rl doeh n u-l belong to any one peo¬ 
ple Iil lllilsc Ii belongs to everyone, 
It is a rl, its models oi the ideal and 
ol beauty are an itself.’’In ancient 
mid modem times Nordic-Anon 
mil n has- always Found the cOgeftl 
synthesis hempen the task a^i- 
gned him. I lie purpose and the j:i- 

VC.Hu inis. Il is therefore, nm 

be wondered aL that ever) pollll 
l-liIIa heroic epoch immediately 

U 1 L'k sill ItS LI [ I IL bl'i Ll^C [rj .Lll L'HULI \ ■ 

ly heroic pan I Crais and RorMftB 
1 Fills boC-CHTte suddenly lJum.* Hi LllC 
Germans who are corn si fill, rted in 
scl-L thefi roots in li fundamental 
races For ihis reason iln- Immortal 
LidiievL-iiieiiLv uf ilu- ancient peo¬ 
ple* continue Ltj exert their attrac¬ 
tion L>n their racially linked de- 
sl'ltllLljjiiS- Since iL j.s ostler to imi¬ 
ni te ihe good ihan to produce new 
ugliness, the Intuitive creations ut 
those peoples can slill in terms fit' 


.sit k-, perform lal-ji iulIlii Lheir 

educative and orientating turn- 
timT". A clearer condemnation Lit 
experlmcnlaltsm and Iruovative 
research i^ rarely hi he found in 
the annals of modem culture. Il is 
alio- understandable why a Ureter 
or ;i TJ iorak should rise to the posl 
Liun of privil edged arlisls in li Sta¬ 
le which even stole the Mi. to tie Hi 

^l'l jt>i il Lis, placing on the mliiul- le¬ 
vel, Ofl lhv hjLS.IK L.f LL.I U Sl'l] IlIl'JI 

ljF Classicism, lire models of Greek 
L-u 1 iiire at id a ^ p L ' i i lc ia] Lmflat Son, 
making of whal na* li purely for¬ 
mal analogy an ethic ana a 
. 1 1 iumj 111 l; which luid n-u-Lhing whate¬ 
ver to do with Greek tradition. 
There one last aspect wlikh 
completes the ni< mr^ oi lit i and 
the artist according to Hitler, and 

■Lvlikh In' li iad mid m |iLLr I succee¬ 
ded lo see realised in concrete 
terms under Lhe Third Reich, The 
artist asA i u iici ii n lat L -1 il an Edeolo 
gy r something more ihan lL simple 
propji pA l li Sl ■ "Ait is li sublime 

mJsston requiting a ... 

Lien to the extent of fanaticism. 
He whi: i-, chosen by destiny EO iv- 
■llllE to tlit- n(ji ld due *nul oi a na¬ 
tion, making il resound.Lisle oi 

^peak through stone, suffers ihe 
violence of the omnipotent I r 
■wliiuh domimales him. will speak 
Ills Language even it die world 
around him duet not ufid^rtiand 
or waul hi understand, will tackle 
every difficulty rather than fail 
ll eii once to Liim ter the interior 
SIM 1 that guides him 1 . 

The symbiosis of Lire and racism 

r 1 xpi L's sl'l! l>V Hillci' Il lljUILIIljII 

Ll> nil ihe theorists cH racism 
$nd Sr,h' was the title-of -u-iie lj-I rli-L 1, 

he hi known tests (in 1926) of one ol 

iliu most noted authorities oil ra¬ 
ti nm. Elans F'.h . GClother\ Art and 


race again occur lis .. separable 

unity in Dm Alyihus ih\- 2i9, Mr- 
fnm'iferts hy Alfred Rosenberg, cu 
Stodian of the ideological patrimo¬ 
ny of Ihe NSDAP, “Art ■ writes 
Rosenberg — is always the crca- 
Ikm ill LI pattlCUliH lllihiid .LIl lL n.L- 
ture Linked to an .ll I form can Linh 
truly he undersrood Ii-l creatures 
l>I iIil- aame blood: to omci h it soys 

1 i 11 k- 11 I' TLI II 11111 g '. T11 1 S , 111 >VL L -l l- I 

:1lj: a contradiction ljF lire iileLi of a 

universal car.of beamy because 

iJil- presupposition is the saniv: thr- 
racial ccLrtdUlotilng of an, -lmlI mji- 
l'l." Greeks. ftsjJii.Liis and Germans 

havL' a common racial lai-,:*. iln- 
identity between this area [IniiiiiiLi- 
ted by aupcrboi racial values and 
the pretext ljF providing formal 
models (and ttol oitty fbrmstljof ce- 
jici llI vnliiJity is eas ily explainable 
'[) h.ls pn GiL>.-k sljjI l Ii lii , in terms 

of universal history, rlir.- first great 
determinative battle between ra¬ 
cial vatLtes TMIS Lk-L clIl (J ill tLiuinr 
ui Nordic blood From the day, 
I mill life man emerged into the 
I if! hi. I m mi iln- laws ol light and of 

heaven, from die ^pivi: and will of 
Lhe Father rose all that mlm-h isl 
^ all. Greek culture and which (i>r 
us is ilu' greatest Inheritance of 
antiquity* AI this pi>int H is use 
k-ss ilj dwell further n ihe mani- 
pu Eat ion of hlstorj and tradition, 
or lhi Ihe misunderstandings of TO 

.ntlc critical Interpretation of 

which [Ik l hotch-potch racist liibL' 
■ il hijLy.i isi ll is full. VN'KliI i-. impor¬ 
tant h to take note of such of iIilhl- 
IJlllh a> were uL" hc-LLir:iL' political 
directives, 

WIiLil. m ^uh litill' . were llu- ae- 
sthotes nl SimiMM seeking, in ilu- 
l Illh h ic liJ representation ol arl? 
The race Ideal l->|ml-^l-lI 1 in lIil 
liIwjUiLl- perfection mI iln^ physical 


form ul man oi hWID '.Km Hi¬ 
ller ii ;i^ anatomical perfection 
i. Ji i l h at U L s I ed Iii ;il: i j i \ and COI re- 

ipontlance to the ideal of the race. 
"The image of man iIil- eatpres- 
-,ii in i hi ihe jiiusl sublime physical 
t igaur and ;i- Suth in eKl cortfor- 
miiv with 11i^ nature and hi^ desti- 
nj lis chosen For him >w nature, 
ju&t at the Imago of waman g]ori 
1 iff- the maturation of life and dit- 
molher dedit a Led to her sublime 
purpose"*. The -.'Ur..-inr- ^jt os liIlij.- 
i ion of beauty was ihi^ represen¬ 
ted by the tnm-ss oi the form in re¬ 
spect of i he purpose For which 

man juul ws.were predestined, 

aptitude for war in ills' In si ■- jll-v 
and an aptitude (oi it would Abet¬ 
ter to -..iv, [lie obligation) Foi pro 
ereai ton in i -n L - set orJ. 

Already in iIil'sl- citations can be 
Found 17 / ijiu-t ks-h elements 

oi the rapport between *n Mis ra 
cial basis), artists, (theil public 
mission and function) and the cOrt 

... (.-i f >LJ hlic which could not 

lime liberty of choice but was the 
recipient ul ;i ^ iiltLLc jlJ product in¬ 
tended to mould ii lis a race, to un¬ 
derline its collision as li racial cul- 
I lx tive) 

It could be interesting to examine 
in depth the knowledge and taste* 
Vtliieh inspired Hitler's choice r-r 
iii<idi.'Is tin hi* aesthetic ideal, not 

Far lioic this signifies From j pet 
sonal point <i 1 view bui for the con¬ 
sequence 5 in terms ul Influence on 
the general dlrectboin oi artistic po¬ 
licies, We shall look li i ..<e 

aspects ©f ibis later. [i will be Lnie- 
iL'sUrif: Him in take an anticipatory 
Look at Hitler's predilection lot the 
paintings of Eiederuieier and For 
bavarian provincial palming. 
From scattered notes h■ j 11 i| k-r s- 

Sir-called 'niuiiidnj-.LLL V ul die Ss J.J- 


years we can see dearly the scale 

ot values according to winch Eie 

classified p.g: the jiiljuj nudi- 

lidjint, the more academic U was, 
iI k- more be liked it and the less it 
dislurbed him. He uppreci li tes the 

young and academic Corinth bin 
li 3 si51 m _ls i Ik- latter shims a ten¬ 
dency to break with tradition he 
drops in If itterb consideration: ob¬ 
serving |llLll ihlS stHIIS ILpLLdlls 1 l- 
sl-II i n the l'.i.sl' of .l number of ar¬ 
tists, if i ki I li 11 15I iliL-in we .si 

draw the conclusion that in this 
field 1 ■ 5 h 1 the Jewish plot is li; work: 
as soon j.* these people, too, get 
above themselves, ana i.l.liil to Lin¬ 
den Like extraordinary and ambi¬ 
tious works, tnlli»s\ in K iIil- had 
example i>l the lew!, lk«y end by 
producing 1 ubbish 7 . 

This cheap philosophy and sociolo 
gy of art of HUler's reveals all the 
poverty of judge me ill and Ideas of 
which 1 his man was cnpnble: un¬ 
fortunately, even in this field hi* 
ideas anticipated cultural policy 
Hitter held in the highest eonside 
ration painters of li u.-jv mediocre 

stamp sometimes worthy .. jgh 

of theil type but always of little or 

no d i fficLilty Ai tin- beg!.. (it 

1 he Se p 1 L-niOL-r of 1^42 lie con f i ded 
to his most intimate collaborators 
"M\ Spitzwegs: the most beautiful 
COllt'ClU.I ft| I i 1 ^SS Cg s jj! the Vi ho¬ 

le worldl", 

Oi he took 1 III- opportunity of 
buying at a then very high ft ice a 
JX 1 1 l'^hl'j 1 iwIiilJi makes ljiic iblnk 
that ihe iii'.tes <il the Fiiher also 
served to boost the Lin market). Ir 
I* cert. iIilii whut he liked Libout 

SpitrwE-g hhiiv genre pAirtliitg, the 
peaceful provincial environment, 
ihe decorous bourgeois inlerEors, 
Biedcrmcier, in fact, a combiim- 
... lu nir-si rued loci ity and phi 


ii si m ism. in Defrcpger ihe coun¬ 
tryside and men jo taints nil Ravsria 
Lind the Tyrol, Lhe oleograph ic k'i> 
ling uf picture postcards In lb- no¬ 
tes themselves iherc in an obsei eLi- 
lion wbich gives a due 10 the way 
|o which Hi lie r looked at art. It is 
ul no interest lo lim llial lie wanted 

10 :ittr ilnule t 0 I lie Carmans. 
thi'euLgh Defragger, supremacy 

mci the Italians in paintingsol the 
Campania (in IhiliLin in lire text); 
wIilii is more siguifican! is LhaL he 
could exdaJm about Defregjgst in 

eshailing ils 1 nc-rirs■ "Photogriiphj 
SLIill ilididt L'\ist! ■' That was kIilii 
hLsciiiLUed Hiller. NlH realism, nor 
naturalism ns an artistic e\|>ies- 

sium but ihe esaol reproduction of 
1 1 1 L - r sorocooe who copied natu¬ 

re \siilii5LLt li trace of iuiagiimation 
lii ufmoast sounds like a biographi¬ 
cal I'KJiei, that whs li reLt] artist. Ai l 
lis craft, one might conclude. And 
j -..hi ii i-, not 115 be wondered at dun 
ho liked the static, de-serad photo 
|£r; 111- 1 1 is! i.i.(jr[iijn (it AJ'.nlt Ziegler, j. 
mediocre acadeiuie paiutfeT, |h-l-.s:- 
dent (d i hr' RftcJtsbi*t«Htcr For the 
figurative (irl>. sliOUfl in the big 
annual exhibitions of German ,ir 1 
hLive-d in ihe ttew Hau* dor Ul-pji 
si lien Kuiuit di Troost, li monu- 
menl typical ■ >-1 'Jn/s areltltecture 
which survived and uan reopun*-d 
for exEiEbiilons In ib' BaraHan ca- 
pltal, beginning with the Lnpik h 
ul The Four f-foments tju sliow in 
[he first cvliibition, ihnl 1 >1 1 ^ 17 . 
the same date as theexhibiiiuii of 
'"dEgcrbEirare art' 1 . 

We have dwelt J.[ some k-ngih on 
Mulci. But Karl iiJi couldn't and 
Jidn'L end with I lie itle-Li" Or pniliti 
cal practices of Hitler and Hitler 
alone. Hitler cun he rcgLii de'd as an 
extreme case within a cultural si- 

11 illil, 511. Without taking Iwlo coosh 



iteration the wave of cultural reac- Oil the cultural front hmvver lE'e- sl&n Academy ol 4 rts whose purif i- 
Iton punning through theTwenliea, se enti'Wetmarian Ferments occur- cation wm in be one nl :1 m: hr-,: 
the post wai situation and the Re- red more frequently than might ap and most radical initiatives of Ma- 
pubi it u I We i m at Li fc imposs i h k |x-ai from ^critical accounts of die zifientioi i within the cultural Insli- 

Id red Ik the In >1 i-l- that Naztism so-called gjsl&M years of the firsl tUI.. after January 3&th. 14.13. 

had li cultural phenomenon German Republic. In reality the became .l concrete facl m least 
One must go even further back and golden years were years of greai from 1926 onwards. The claim for 
consider the-unhappy rapport bet- creative splendour but also of ficr- ihL- representation al "mi felt ;ss 
ween an and politics before the re- cs cultural and political conflict, specifically German and of the 
volution of L'.JlS under kaiser Wil- Tin' CrottiFIS jikI Reraanques ni- peopl (■'' as opposed L(I ' ill I |>I :111 in- 
helm, Of the CMWnliEp ol mihfa- countered hostilsly, sometimes lernationd lype" r|i i> emblematic 

rihjn. ol die monarchy and the even physical, not only from decla- ofthesche.lEzatEon of the fronts 

evangelical churc h against artistic, red Kazfs but more often I . a which divided German culture. 

literary and drama tin es press ion, bodyoi national-conservative The most recent studies, Stlmula- 

1 1 it- Interference-of the Kaiser him- opinion and from or Ivlins (it State i L-d by r (■ I II-... induced by [he 

selfj another who thougbl be could such as the tribunals who wore on- fiftieth anniversary of the rise in 

dictate.. ul Form and content ly mki often called in to intervene rowet of Naalasm and the cultural 

inspired hy ail autliJ&r by 1 nalSotia au^Lnsc writers. artists and puhli- biirharrmlion which Farmed an in- 
EitlEc and militaristic Historic. The cists, protagonists of the deshcra- tegral part of that rise to power, 
institutional limit! of the passage tion of so-called patriotic and mill* tend to underline strongly ihc-. ll- 
fjmin ihc Kaiser hi the Republic of illt % values. The significance of the tack by public and institutional opl- 
Weimav alsoexpressedthemselves Great War and the way il covered rmin. hri-.iLie'd llu’ brenh with -La¬ 
in the continuity ol the so-called with a clout of national values the lues they considered traditional, 
ifh'irmjrv.'j.ij.i,', ihi traditionallst tint] rising complicity surrounding \;l on new l a| 1 i esstons nl Wflmai cul 
nationalist inspiration. Hildeg&rd tlona I Socialism has too oflenoccn mre. precisely those who in the 
Breruier, tljefiretschcl&rtoexami- midercsiimatcd. The rise to power field cl uit and literature matte 
ns the artistic ptlicies of Nalnntl of Ntdltm wat d^i iK nvenp of themselves the negative heirs of 
Socialism 1 *, pointed out the strong the generation □( "Lhe front". Blil the Great War-pacifism and u.i lcl- 

influviKc in 11.rganlwtlsn of the ihv symptoms l»I‘ these develop- militarism In particular* 1 . From 

v'AFkish cultural opposition U> Wei meots wne-re already all present and Ehi aggressive satire ol Grosz to 

marls..ii- and literary Lite. explicit in the cultural conflict mi the mildut more Sr.e and Iras 

from 1927 onwardj of the National the Weimar scene, When in 1^30 scathing satire of Karl Arnold and 
Sonia I isl arga n i /at ion I or deniteht i he first loca I got; ei n merit wEi h Na- "SimpliziBaimus'' the image of Lvr 

KuHur promoted by Alfred Rihhcn- jj participation was established in. manic man typified by.IxlureoF 

berg nnd destined to becottw TLiriiigia, the cultural policies of arrogance and primitivism, was in 

cb.el of cultural reaction, anti- that Land anticipated liII iBl- disr iL^L-ll an offence in the cultivators 

cipnliin in many ways the polHteo- ractcristics of '■upp^Hicn and po- of the deutschr Kultur and of pre- 
cultural practices of the Nazi rem- IIcIl-uI Lind racist discrimination sumed naE tonal values 
rtn.' U is sijifidcnt to recall lIil do which vas to be typical of EheXazl 

L-Jarcd aim ol (hl^ orgmlMU. regime; degenerate art had. its fir&l Against " Degenerate An"! 

"lliL.' |1i i>|^l^i[1lLli amongst Lhc Get- mHc-vn se£ae ^'illi tEu 1 oondt.. , * lli rtiirganluklLLm 

mnn people of tlie raw»rt between Lirjn of ihc Bauhaus, its b.mi- of (he-German spirit 

raL-L', an, sh. iL'tiL'u and ethical anil Ehment 1 i-himi Weimar and ilv lIl- ThecomEnglopowei Nazisms! 

LKiilitjry values 1 ' 1 . to find In iJs siructiihn (jf Lhu great wall panels gnallcd the triumph of a provincial 

central nucleus standing orders (,f Sdile..or. urt, Ai: lusi all jir, autonomy of 

a clo-.se LdentiFic-atiun W’ith iEil- abo Ms Brenner hatsdemonalralcd, loo, pression, along with all oilier u- 

vecitations from Hitler and Rcj^ert- ihu ss lsv Iil which the escalation of nifestalians ol culture, and was or- 


ben 


I he cultuml reaction to lliC l J rus. £tutEzcd by the interior wurksrtgi of 


i Ik- State. A par I Iron: Lhe specific 
content which Li kkiLs to assume 
.lilJ ll hich w l |k evident ly indissolu¬ 
bly I Inked in tin- Function attribu¬ 
ted to II. iL I>l l l nme nothing othei 
tbz.. iIil' dharvrvelsof organi¬ 

zation and conservation ut consen¬ 
sus, by delinition ;m instr.. Lit 

mjljllI control like many others 
The fight against hli i ii ii a mono 
in;, and pluralism, apinul the Lu- 
nmh hi expressions which charac¬ 
terized the widely diversified pa 

..I the Weimar scene in 

which survivals af Expressionism 
li 11 lI New Objectivity lived side hy 
vjJe 4 slang with ibe Iwihnoss ■•■■I 
i Iil' -..ll Ires af Gtou Lntid \ leartfiled, 
l<railed with Llie raidLie 11 1 Lbi- 
daism, and the Frozen ens hanlmeml 

■ if Lhe pl'M iK'i ■- hi .j-:i;il realism, 

outsiders like U11>> L>i\ and Max 

... lhe gn'-Ll s< iiljltin 

heirs Id the expressionist I radii ion 
like Barlach and KollwllZ, was li 
battle lot ihi-' re-«tab]isliment ol 
order and authority extending it¬ 
self lu i be I tdd ihi art. Only by siar- 

ting 1..his presupposition li it, 

possible to understand the Ic racily 

■ if lhe attack ..odern art, on 

everything Lklikli even remotely 
broke with ilk- canons ol classical 
established ml. Hie privileged pn- 
silion in Nazi official arl accorded 
tii the great masters of the l-Ijlim 
i'li I tradition was not due only lu 
[ ho possibility that Eh them might 
be Found L lit- great masters of ^l-:^ 
riLLiiiii art; there was that, as vu- 
shall see, huL there was -. 1 1 ■ the 
Isd ili-.ii by now -ilII the :=rt produ- 

1 l'iJ b L (in l' 1 ho break made by ibo 
Lu-inr guard >1 Luring frum the so 

..I 1 1 ill I ut 1 III- XlXtJj century Vi as 

in a sense a reassuring iLft contai¬ 
ning ihj stimulus or gleara 11 1 li¬ 
ne HI [l lsc 111 ni ion, 1 1 tl.is a consol Ida- 


ted ..emy iL could be pui to 

lim- in 11 lie dli cation 1 ir am lifter, m 
111 it- p icas ure 0 1 ' anc 11 be 1 , but i 1 con¬ 
tained na dement of emotional 
mobilization, it id i-Ll Ilur provoke an 
involvement such asmfgbl cause Li 
division ol opinion lu Lit Language 
m lIk- i 11 l^l-l u a to rebellion 
The -,L"!i 11 [ 1,11 k\ ijii supposedly cau¬ 
sed by those dies aerators who dl 
Spotted ihc presumed national va¬ 
lues, race, the national c.nl 

ty, lIh.- armed Forces and warlike 
attitudes. But the real scandal ct*n- 
silk'd in the exisUHlCfi ul ilia I con¬ 
tradictory urban*ullure, daughter 
■ i-l industrialization and the accele¬ 
ration nl tlte phenomena of urbani- 
H.itim'i, which was none other than 
an expression of the contradic¬ 
tions of a society oF complex Bociml 
m mi 1 1 icas.. which 1 in- old hie¬ 

rarchy of medieval society 01 of a 
society fundamentally imul had 
bfisKn proftnmdly upset and remixed, 

M1 nk L r n [II I IilllI ( ri[lc[ZC<l the l lU 

^illI the w I'L-uhL-iiriL-^s that went 

with 1 In.- new mb.I - ; 1 1i l\, but it 

had liI-li treated il| social aspects, 
h 1 1 1 Etc l ranifu rm a I i on ol the land¬ 
scape, of live conccntFStf.I tech¬ 

nical elements, ol movement, luiJ 

new dynamism, of the format.of 

ml,- m, classes as a result oF urbaniza¬ 
tion. The neih art 1 hi itiL- XXth lvm 
iljii, especially in Germany, was 
essentially and prevalently urban; 

LillL-1 lliL- tiiM T.HII IlL yi.ir which 

exasperated I Ik.' condjtion oi ;lii.- 
L-nji iv lUL-i.Ll system mid pul direc¬ 
tly nil show in the l. i 1 > streets lIv 
phenomena ol (Etc criafs-infLaibii, 
unemployment, prostitution-and 
alio the external inmgrs oi the bc- 
Iill'i iour of lIii- new classes produ 
l>\ increasing lertiarbEation. 
TLiili mass enlertninmcnl, ;Iil- u--l' 
el rasa ..cations systems 


and >(' Forth, llu-- all-pervading 

L'll.ir.l. I'T <|] ihL- tll.L'. L'llL, meeting 

plac l' ,i 11 tl balllefieId m tr ictlk 'J( ci 
ul the great contradicllona of the 
l'pnl'Ii. in wEiLL'h occurred episodes 

involving ..yntous nmltitudes 

and tragedies of i 11 l i 11 Li l- solitude, 
WLI1 L -j r 1 r l 1 hI jlL1 -l l■ ol lli^ wt»]e Cul¬ 
tural life oi lIk time, l^ainlang Was 
till I nl 11 ji w T as expressed In expe¬ 
rimental architecture, ii pemuied 
literature m might seem banal to 
dif Btriltt A?exm&g?p!afrr but ii is 
only one example), the cinema and 
l-l-l-ii music. 

Tin.' Nazi cultural reaction was 
above li|I ll reaction jip^iinvi the li- 
ll ,Lh Lin expresakHi oi all iIll- evils 
h 1 1 modern vik iL't!' Thue analysis of 
die contemporary city. w]ul. Ii had 
Found in Germain sociology From 
l li'j end nl ilia pm ious century on- 
ik lii lI ^ line nl 1 li l 1 iiilii-[ Ji'i'ilie IieEds 
of analysis as LI microcosm Lit the 
most complex Miual structures, iv 
1 educed in l hi: criticism «ii the 1 ul- 
kiudi cultural opposition 10 crltk 

C i ..I the city as a purulent sore 

oi contemporary i-dL'k iv. Ndi the 
scicnt il Lc ^pii ii but romantic no¬ 
stalgia 1- ll[ the 1 oot ul 1 liis desire 
tn ret urn to outmoded and archaic 
Idylls typical ol the Ideals of socie¬ 
ty 'hi !SLk,'.i propaganda. 
il-IL' Images ill sljl-iliI ^tljLlPs LI'lliI- 
vniiiiL'd uj u>. l Ii rough \:i/i critical 
Idr-jij li ml UiL'.i thfLi iconography 

oscillate between ibk .■-■ii I oraei 

ljI li tikj'ii 1 inp village, ol an agricul¬ 
tural landscape which in reality in 
much li li 11 -. 1 1 hi j 1 !'.■■:I li 111 which in 
\,L/i iconography preserves, the 
immobility ■ il long and itie 
equally unreal ortlcr, this time 
even spectral, of iJis city ,i^ bar¬ 
racks, stripped id li 11 Lin cunlraJic- 
tSons j.i 1 lL destined to express by 
lhe uniformity oi i L^ urban struc- 



I 


lures the spirit oi hierarchy, order 
and authorin' which had been Up 
I^Li- ju^l 11 1 impetuous transfor¬ 
ms ium. The symmetry id ihe. 

vcmcnl ol masses uhli.h MazLism 
desire in I he rcslizatkin id ns m- 
iLiak and choreographies is no 
Other lhan a symbolic represents 
tii mi id tin- values llI'iJ the hierar¬ 
chy of Lhe tallies — each m its pla¬ 
ce - i ir h i eh lIi'. hi rJe ring o I Nazi 
society must res I 

In the v$!ki$eh criligua of lhe city 
the prevalent eknienl seems (o be 
ul a biological characters I tie city 
as mrk instance ol (he dissolution of 
tin- I'h-si and healthiest hereditary 
substance: the usdichlthy promi¬ 
se Linus character qd Lhe city wilil 
its htglwi m o rtal it} rate results In 
an attadc on the substSttC® of ft ra 
■ jlI aristocratic l ace uhiuh Is what 
the germcutik race is -hilI must il- 
na&ifl, an aristocracy of the soil. All 
other consider:! Mongol a SSCioloHl- 
cal character, for example on Inc 
eradication of indi viduals who are 
removed from their natural &Etd ftt 
[he same time ideal environment 
wh iv h i v (he Ei w yilkol, lhe far rut, i jr 
id ll political character, inasmuch 
;i.-, ilit.' dtj jh h densified urban 
iiia^s lends u> spread mistaken 
Lth'Lis liIxjui democracy,, or worse 
still, proletarian hatred of heallhy 
values, are only subordinate lit lhe 
principal effects of dimordifbca- 
iLlmi, of the oorruplton el lhe nor 
JIl- racial Stem, or of racial dege¬ 
neration, according to the lUeO 
rttlfigJ til one of lhe ehief pro- 
pa^atois of lhe fight against 
urbanization 1 *, Naturally, the 
Struggle fur Lhe de-urb:i n izali rnl tif 
i lie (iemian people, to he conduc¬ 
ted with rigorous racial hygiene, in 
ihf name ol the ideology el UU*\ 
nnd Bad&j r. was not without pro¬ 


blems from lhe point of view of In- 
dti si ri ill development, precissslj h*»* 
euLLse-ut Its esipausionist and impe¬ 
rialist mob it tons Ibis contradic¬ 
tion qqas never to lit resolved ex¬ 
cept on tin ideological level where 
rural ism served to furnish a tran¬ 
quil tmkg image to Covet di* much 
more soldi leLLLilq ut ll H.li- 
orLenl tiled Industrialization; tile 
Blut Bodgn ideology, then, 

worked wllli the purpose Oil lnysti- 
Jj.jatiim end maJiipuiaLiijJi: but we 
might also hlsU. ourselves whether 
something of Ltiis ideology, tiilh 
the (1 iikboli^atlon of iEu- dt> as the 
city of Industrial work, in no; lo be 
found ftlSO In the Idea Lind illiIlIt, 
of Lhe eoneetration camps, m aca ■ 

bre L liLLfiealUl L- LhaL Llie 1 . WeJO of 

the industrial eilv vith the data* 
vied from the soil constrained [hi 

forced hi hour as li first Mage in 

their an ni hi lac ion. 

Hitler inaugurated the German 
House ljI Art (jo July Ifiih. 1 ^ 37 , 
Between the time ul its coming to 
power and lhe year 19^7, which 
matks ;b real watershed in the ani- 
stic policy of the Nazi regime, lhe 
regime had noL been idle. Political 
Lind ■ hl'JliI discrimination had al¬ 
ready emptied German j of mo si i >C 
her best urlisl*. The creation of in- 
aiiiutions for the reglmentatlwi 
even of artists anil the purging oF 
traditional institutions now bent 
Lo the uses of the Third Retch con 
stunted in tlicmsdveK factors of 
profound change in lhe artist Sc pa 
nuj jma uf Germany. Even I hose 
artSsU who Il-1i themselves stron- 
gL> linked to German tradition, 

tUCh M Barlsdt, Lind qqllHi qquuld 

never have chosen to emfln^reie, 
mere It j reed imo hileneeamJ despe¬ 
ration by ihr i >bst 11 iikt L- lSl'sl i e ol 
Lhe new spiritual directors ol ths 


Reich to sweep awa> m\ trace or 
what did not Fit in with their ideas 
;snd iL5 1111 i"iosq.- li UM it in ji i sivle. Bar¬ 
lach was not prejudicially hostile 
lo lhe Nazis, in I Lie i III- Li IvlI io ii i li¬ 
ke ^une oonci’ialory geslures Lu 

demonstrate Ills loyalty lo lIic 

rie^L regime. The l^irlucli SCarnhil 
was essentially linked to Lite remo¬ 
val iisjm the cathedral ol Macde- 
bui^of ihe monument lo the fallen 
which he Imd nmdelletl jlL Ihs end 
of the Twl-jiijl--.. Having already 
lie lti ihe <iIi|lti ol sharp criticism 
in I lie la si years of Weimar From 

111iZiI -lc q ^ i it Il s .liilI NSlkm®! COIl- 
serraLives Ikj did not recognize irt 
it llie heroic lIllii lii. |,. m^,1ll:-. ol the 

German warrior but instead accu¬ 
sed Lhe artisl of hav ins given the li¬ 
eu rev in the group Features thnl 
were not clearly germanic, ihu pie- 
l L- was irwisjKsrled u* i^l- Slhkim.lI 
Gallery of lie run to remove il From 
i he public eye In tlie Cathedi;d <\i 
Magdeburg ami was later consi¬ 
gned 10 I lie IILLLM-LULi Mine room 

"jjl [he IL-LIV I I-.-Ml.lLilhLIV 11 IJLLkrke I' 

possible" as recoruruended by K<i- 
wiiik-rg iii iiw St’-ptembei <iJ 193-1. 
to avoid any Further agltalion 
l^-itig pj<j\LjkL-d b.t this work vv hiv h 
had atreadj bceri the object i>l slj 
much polemic, Behaving almost li- 

kr- IlhllllL-IS, ll ^-Ll ILL- ll) b- h.Lid, 1 IlL' 

Nti/iv gradually caused All H:ir 
iLdeh's hiiinil icam skLU'kM Lo dlstip- 

lsea i truoi [lubliL places and the 
art ini himself was denounced lis a 
KuitUtfaQlschewist, few. oriental 
and soon. Barlach died on October 
2Aih, I9j@ r having scl-ii lilitisclt c\- 
p-Dsed u. puhlie ridicule in I in - ' de- 
p^-i k-i lik-" .Lr i exlaibiticwi. lljul-lFil- r 
\V31 ll Olh-Cl ftrllstft llkr- NinIlIl- who 
had bud no precouct; ived hoslcllly 
towards Nazllsm 1 . 

The Barlach i li^l- well exemplifies 



the rate reserved tin' anyone who, 
though noi aberadGEUrag German)', 
11 hltl[ l'lL to preserve a minimum of 
dijin ill pnd Freedom of expression. 
Uut evidently ibis ii ; a -,n t enetjgh 
Joe iIjl- new rulers mJ art Paul 
Schulze ..burg, m 1930 direc¬ 

tor mF ; In- Wcdmair school of ;i k 1 11 ■ 
lecture, the ukl Bauhaus. had de¬ 
nounced contemporary artislU 
currents as '’cartcerogenous' h i Ro¬ 
senberg, For his part, asked iIi-li 

.scums should be p revert led 

from Iransformirtg lhjfiuse]vej Into 
"in [ hospitals"- The category oFill- 
ncss .i- an hi ribuie < d miAm an 
te i vt$ l<i pu t lLi m ii .l> paE lie i li'jjj i l li I 
any form or expression ITOl confer 
minj to the canons* in any case in- 

definable, of "Germ.nteriprija- 

tion" The Iransfer of the artistic 
capita] I mm Iler iLn lo Munit It in 
Hitler's Gei many was nol acciden¬ 
tal and ii in was it (Sue solely to the 
Fnlu:ui "s parochialism. In the 

Twenties ..eh had been a itron- 

ghold of cultural conservatism ar¬ 
id i In 1 reaction to i 2 il- November 
revolution and lo the experience of 
the council i l" pu1 1 1i l- in Bavaria. 
Munich, which had been [he . radle 
of Nasilstn, deserved ihi^ recogni¬ 
tion as ft ign uF the reprlstination 
mI "genuine German art", and of 
the ShmIiIh renewal ol artistic life. 
The liny after ihc inauguration of 
Hie Hausdci Deutschen fCunst iho 
ex h i hi I ion of degene na tc lilL m ope¬ 
ned in tEic gallery o( act ade* In the 
garden of the Residence A glance 
ui i lu.' two exhibition* can s^rve io 
establish l lie distinction bflMtn 
geartete and entarlett Kunrt, bel 
ween permitted, or rather ocnm- 

... . iii [ and pi inhibited at l. 

We shall leave aside the ps®ud,0 
Classicism of the Haus der Deut- 
M;hcn Rims-I building bsell with ii' 


colonnades that were supposed lo 
symbolize the "temple of an 
The introduction lo tl'ie catalogue 
of i lie first nl ihe Great EKhlbit mi is 
ill German aM to be held at lIk- 
Onus der Deulschen Kuml deFlnes 
ihc charactei of conservative re¬ 
storation which National Socla 
liviu w islicd in attain, It was m ii- 
lutionary only in iLs sweeping 
away ■ d ;ln L refuse <H \l.n n>i 

... From iEil' point ol 

view dF cultural policy the real na- 
tore mI National Socialism consi¬ 
sted in ihc rrpri.slinat:kin oi lk L ' 
mos( | hi ofound tense of German 
values* in the reomuiiEation ol the 
Gem tan spirit mid its objective ol 
tEic organic dcvekipineili (iI ih l 1 
German cultural patrimony' 1 . An 
exemplifies! Fort d the works OH 
show shows clearly what Nad art 
wauled to be A portrait ol Hitler 
and portraits ol other Na/i dignita¬ 
ries; poriridls ol espbrtertts of the 
Wehmuichi: 'Tin- Font Elements' 

u| Ziegler; hnicKi apes ol a.am i 

cizing style; scenes "-I village life; 

pLiiui ings nil dm world «it ili£p£3h 

isnl by AJuii Wissel and Thomas 

H.. Ini 1 1 ;i:nuri|: the tunsl HO 

led EterDlypes h ■ I Nazi iconogra¬ 
phy; sc l-i ll-s I i mi i i 11 llJ i Lo.: i life (two 
can i av>ea. ontit led farm* ra \if \ i re■ 
peat one ul die favourite motifs ol 
military solidarity) portrait* of 
aviators mid SA men: the new ur¬ 
ban landscape break* out only 
with an oleograph neprasentalimi 
of the ii'M^ Nh-'t p-l: i\ bMildlngs In 
Mlliul' h. lhu drawiiigsosciHate hel- 
\m-L'n pallid Imitation* Mt l> ii r i 
and i In 1 composition ol Vl'mmjlmisii 
political manifestos; in 
him£ was tin word i- the ;irk- <>1 a 
painting m Hll \;s/i realist styled 
\ lermaain Olio Soyer whk 1 1 fi g 11 re 
Hiller perfomiog his first sc I of 


prosclytism; among the Bcriljjture, 
busts of the Fbfirer and Mil^-*ljI ini 
iTboiaki and IliL-u convcnlkmitl tL- 
gyres i hi me ii and animals with va¬ 
gue classical overtones, Tor ilk' 
Following years Uil' exemplifica- 

i ..gb; proceed ^LtlI i.]li r Ii- 

tics, willi [be accent during the war 
yean on militaristic and heroic 
ksortograplty The art;ichronlst Ic si 
gnificancc ■ihc reprisliisatkul ■ >1 
gcnrc-painiiii£ on the r j;ir| (|t die 
lia>- lieui l sliarply underlined 
belt IIlm/", 

llypct Iradilkmalisl and conserva¬ 
tive ill Style, ^a/1 iiLMiiLiiip Lk-li- 
nod essentially by its content: the 
rejjrtesenmbon of ilia race as a iace 
ol peasants and warriors i> iis pav- 

vafllng COE.. inn' isilll lllu JJULL- 

j!u ni woman a* an expression of 

ienUJtj ..iemUy. lu contreat 

im this, I L-r us look al ihc aims and 

aUilinL h ol lln-" lm 1..... (d "tlu- 

u.L ML j ;sie uil". Whun he opened lhu 

I ionise of ... II liter had 

-■Liid: "From this momcril ■ >ii the 
German people will not accept 
"works ihi art" which arc nol corn- 
prelienslble in Uicmscire* bui 
which ro justify tficir existence tl.' 
Lj'.jiiu bombastic intructions for 
tEifiii lhu ", id contEnuc In iln> wsj 
to Lliu extent of posing Lliih polemi¬ 
cal .I menacing ^weitlon: "[--] 

my dear sEuttraing artists of prelii- 
Story, AmlI what aru you PcljlJu- 
(_■ i iilt! J Demented arid maU'omted 
l." rippk111 JrriLTL who UJUt only ill L'i r 
lu horror* who Fook ra-n>r L - IlIcv 
beast* lEiuii hiltl. eHiliJren wba it 
Lhey were like dial in real life 
would be considered a divine cur- 
k! And these abominable ama¬ 
teurs da™- u> ciHei all rlik im ljlh- 
con Lem po ra r i e s ;Lh die art of our li- 
me [.,.] ki>, ihew are oral) iwih pos¬ 
sibilities; either [bese so-called ar- 



ilstt. really see things in that W4J 
Ljjid mj believe in hIui iKl\ rcpre- 
:icnt: in th-tu case it remstini Ions lt> 
ijiquji'L into whether iheii 
eyedncss is due mecfi ajlical cans®* 
or is liei L'tdii lli- ■.. To lIvj first cage 
wl 1 xhuuld Feel profoundly sorry 

for ijiose ijmIlji I uiiiLtL*. ill lllL 

corul case il would be irftporianl 

for Che Ministry Inienor of 

the Reich to see U ■ the prevent ion 
at Ll-^m id 1 1 ll- further hereditary 
transmission <d sdraUai horrify! nj 
visual l 3L:-sc i_l□ l>Lir ll-l-. Or else these 
people ihemsehfES du not bdlleve in 
[hv i llj I Le ■- i hi mulIi impressions but 
use i hem fi n - mher reast MS lo bring 
displ ace on the nation: in that case 
the procedure becomes B question 
hiJ criminal law" ". 

Hie “Guide to the exhibition ol de¬ 
generate arc" grouped I he works 
toother m mne sections, Starling 
from the must general one unten¬ 
ded i■»sliLin- "lIih' barbarism of the 
drawing from a manual point of 
view 1 ', or rather the laceration of 
torn and ihc '’contempt for all ihc 
craftsmanship aspects of Figure li¬ 
ve iiLi", even to eIi-l- extent ul do 
iiihunclng "the absolute stu.pi.dElj 
h il" Llir- choice uf subject'** the exhi¬ 
bition rev i«wcd works oil religloH-S 
subjcds (in I* hich there was a pre¬ 
valence of (Le Jewish derision of 
every religions image); works 
which showed the pul il it a) back¬ 
ground of artistic degeneracy (In¬ 
cluding political li i id artistic anar¬ 
chy and ihc class struggle); works 
of ;i cleat le gird!Lie jI tini lLli i l i (the 
denigrat ion td the German soldier 
i III anti-maliLarisI works ol' Otto 
Din Lire defined AS "mllltara sabo¬ 
tage in pointing"); the moral nsfs-cl 
of artistic degeneration ('’For the 
'artists' represented here the who¬ 
le world Is evidently one great bro¬ 


thel li nd humanily foi them is com¬ 
posed only of prostitutes and pro 
curers"i; works ui a Marxist- 
bolshevfst Influent l- which sought 
“the systematic destruction of the 
Ijlm rcsi lIlil* i»l any racial conscious 
snesa". the repiesenLalinn ol 
Idiots, cretins and paralytics, seen 
alongside negroes ns the ideal ra¬ 
ces Hi so-called ‘modern' an. the 
section reserved entirely For lews, 
culmlnatJug in a Final section defi 
ruble an "uital Folly" (Cubism. Da- 
dti Ltnx Sti meal i sm .Constructivism 

Li L. f. 

In ..the triumph of pro 

v inLiLiJ art on the am haridj canttem- 
tXi linn LI lid del u riltid 1 ic jrl i d mi jlLc: i i 
Lirl on ihc ocher. Bui il wasn't -.if 
niLiu hueps? ni taking up pn IlIl-uI i >■ 
git" 1 1 position ns B cultured policy 
mcMiirs destined to become ope¬ 
rative WIiliI it nmst have signified 
for many artists, was the (os* of 
the possibility un| only lhi exhibit 
but often even m work*'; the di¬ 
spersion of many works of Lirl oi 
even their pure and simple 
destrwe tiuo". 

Plunder: (he spiritual struggle 
against the enemies uf the Reich 

]ri discriminating against artistic 
Currents Lind works of art the hlazi 
regime took upon itself the power 
Lind right to collect For itself liII the 
best examples oi classical lii i . The 
civilizing mission wlih wide ft Ger- 
many invested herself and Lbc ra¬ 
cial reclamation of Europe became 
the bails For legitimizing the oon- 
lltlI ration within Llic RlicIi hi I .il] 

l he hcr,t works oF art to bs found In 
[lu. L area occupied by the lli'eAr, 

trradif. I liu jnbecbLjrcLLTLiilugi 111 llbL' 

plunder is extremely cotnpEes li- 
were the motives on which ii was 
buM-d. The products of ‘degenerate 


art' h li 11 cred a varily of Fates; vini m 
■ ,r iIlct:i iu'il' sold abroad for the 

purpose cf obtaining prcciaus In- 
i L'lj'.ri CUI IL T 1 L -C. the L.llll-iml- auc¬ 
tions Lit IM.^) and (941 held mi he- 

half nl Uk . .in gove.tent 

had this aim 11 . In Berlin, uii March 
21 ti b. m i 4 . io de ar out store rooms 
iill-cIl-J for gHiucI-. more li>c'IiiI lo 
i he et ;i rtinte l'l ( .mJmy, more lhmi n 
l Ihjlivu ii l | coni iM;t:ed \ lhu asse■- 

CL i-:t- burnt uliiii.r. with *].at Lint- 

L Iilj li sand draw i 11 g -, and water 
colors". Rose Valland testifies lm 
an analogous bonfire Lit modem 
m t masters, from Lv^ci to Picasso. 
I rom Miixj n> Kla- five or elx hun¬ 
dred works burnt ill PiliL^- ut tbe 
Jeti oe Paume on Mll-l - TiI-i. 14-1 t 1 '. 
Tiiii lLiK rh jiul, of course, alter the 
fact ili.ii whilst ostensibly dlaboli- 
zins jJiiJLtL-rn .irt, For motives nil 
pi i in i urgi L'L'tl 1 1>: [jIljikIl'i . ur even 
personal vice that was not to beco- 

m« publiL VII Il:l- p I III- 010(1 :LLfn:i 

CKfUS of the M.LV.i dignitaries k^ik 

possessiun uf ... nl tm 

press km ism such as i>n uthei ■ >l-l-: i 
hiii ni wcil auctioned or buresl. "An 
cours de di* Visiles au J e u de P.i li - 
n Le vii i^41 cl J.e quaere en 
fjULl'ilL^ i'l-mlI l.l -1k R 1.-11 > hi l . lM\ 

Degas, lIl-u'i Monet, trols SisL-l. 
qnalre Cezanne el cinque Van 

TIil- ijr>L consequence of dii> lM- 
... was thus extre¬ 
me discretion as regards the el <■- 
sposition oi li r 1 works an the part 
ut a group Mi powerful meit who 
considered theinselves the masters 
1 if I be Slate and wh 11 itk 1 11 (if led --,1 :s 
te structures wkh thedi own perEV- 

ii-iI Fortunes, (in iLl- 1 Hh J.. 

1 & 4 . 1 . Alfred Rosenberg, on offe¬ 
ring id ill- ib birthday greelings to 

Marshal Gorina i >;iJ,:l ... to 

him in iI ll>l terms: ] would like to 



pjijs on to you. a lovtrof figuralivc 
; 11. a mni.li painting -ls ;i small 
momenta r ■ n jour museum [he 
p 1111■ is by Jacob Adriaens Bel¬ 
li-voi-s, id in the XVItth centu¬ 
ry, -Li i lI i-. entitled; 4 slnlch uf 
m'lj' - .. Rosenberg again, on Fferch 
] f'E 11 ol i!;l- Sbi 11 if \ta r, for Hiller's 
birthday sent ib L - I■ 1111 ri 'a porifo- 
Ik i uiiii photographic repradur- 
tii?n> Lit --(iiik 1 lit ilk- iTu>Si precious 

..tings taken into safekeeping 

by my operational group In execu- 

... Ldui orders in occupied ler 

riLorics i>l ilk 1 West, part of theai 
iIslIl patrimony <'1 ibe Jews, by 
mull ownerless', Fill* portfolio re¬ 
presents the integration of the 53 
very precious art works already 
forwarded llj your collection n ;l 
result (il this cperalion. Even this 
portfolio gives Ehji :i pallid Idea of 
tin- value and extraordinary quan¬ 
tity ol lilL' al l llo| K cimhs ilIl-lL mi 
I ran ire hi my L,tl Il'l" -Li i lL bidden -.li- 
U-I.l In Germany 1 At their next 
MLL L iiiiL'. Rosenberg expressed his 
intention of consigning EO iIil- 1 : lj1i 
ror another twenty portfolios of 
photographs H in the hope —head¬ 
ded - that occupy ina yt ni rse 1 1. ho- 
w ev e r b rief h. wiltl die I set Hit lea 't 
ail mi l 1 1 jsl 1 to your hcart will bring 
a ray oF sunshine and Eoy in iIils 
moment of difficulty and grest tness 

tlmi ..ire ..versing at pne- 

wnt ,f . 

I lll i weekt Ik-lmu 1 1 1l- capitulation 
hi I Stalingrad there ii little doubt 
that EiUlei had need of a ray of 
simslune, 

Tlk- two quotations are interesting 
agaSn lot the light they i h n m on 
ilk' praxis of plunde. lI n> perso¬ 

nalization, and ml i Il-i jin iIk 1 part 

played . Ill Alfred Hose tube rg r 

lire ideologist ■ >1" ilk' Na*l party 
who nevei attained recognition as 


official doct.. of the regime 

hm who was always employed in 
Nm |k5ii L j operations because ■ it 

In-, 111 I I In ILL'I Ml I m I III' _HJ'L.Ll Lid l .ul¬ 
lage of the Krkh or its rulers, The 
functions performed 111 Rosenberg 
give 11 1 l' measure of I be plan For 
ilk' systemk cultural iinproveri- 
shirtcnl that tbeCreal Reich Inten¬ 
ded to impose on die whole of liu- 
rih|k. L : i h l mclliads used by Rosen¬ 
berg ;itl' signifk.. lib serviSity 

and Fanaticism together, with Iils. 
umscrupuEousmsss .ullI iIll- ambi- 
tiein, personal interests and [Old 
arbitrariness that were involved in 
lliL-^- operations. 

It, 1 ram I'PIS, ilk- praxis already in 
livl For years m confiscating and 
freely disposing of Ilk' products of 
'degenerate ni'i 1 and ,in objects be¬ 
longing lli the Jews was codified 
within 1 1 k" Reich, aftei the begin- 
iiLog ihi Ilk- invasion >■ I Poland mis 
praxis became general througltput 
Huri>|k L . Brenner, in her texl which 
ill- hat l' frequently cited here, un¬ 
derlined I lie capillary nature of 
[Ills p]unilc>ing iti the two cascs ■ rf 

i i i i i aeccsslide lI i ... i tat.. 

Poland! and France. BLit almost 
contemporaneously ilk- Seydewlt- 
JOS who I Mid LiL^chi e<j the archives 
hjI i he Dresden An Gallery, were 
able to document ju--.L how vest 

and ..I]> widespread was 

Llk- work nl sele-cI kui from ihi- Eu¬ 
ropean lit i i-lIil 1 patrimony. inclu¬ 
ding the removal of works tmm 
Italy even hLlLjre- September Sth 
I94.V in fact. Hitler, In iEn- - choice 
of works destined For the Belting 
li | h of the continental museum ni 
Lint used the ..hi the Dres¬ 

den A i" G.iliery, Hans I’hi^ 1 as hji 

consultant**. 

A>- can Ik- seen from the first in¬ 
structions given to RlISL'tlbL'I'g. lllC 


two conceptual categories of pri¬ 
mary Importance in legitimizing 
ilie -.Lie'kin^ ihi inwaded Eumipe* ar¬ 
tist k pplrimomy were those l>I ihc 
Ari amotion iji iL-wisli property 
Lind ilk- recuperation to Lite gemtil 
nrc nation ihi work* dispersed 
througliout Europe. I; was not »n- 
porkmi to establish, especially a> 
regards the latter, the historic 
cjtaclilttde ihi ilk cbilm; ulikL na> 
Important was t-o affirm and impo¬ 
se it Wfhctever iIilml' was anything 
1 1 ■ lj i was or could be considered as 
jcrrnanizable', ,L ObjectJve sl iL-riir- 
tie rose arc 3: — stiyv ilk 1 oFflcijd 

k-K i r.kl I 1 m MI hi Lbdinan i h I ra- 

ti\L uve <j| the general ..- 

ship — has nevei nounsbed daubi s 
that all cultural works of everla- 
>Ling jjiipLirtunee in tfie Vistula 
area owe ilk'ii origin il> Llk work 
ihi Germans.- in this area imj wi^k*. 
ih| rruly Polish l'eImim- -lmL j.;in have 
ever Iw-l-m produced. Thi> is true in 
;hc t'iL’ld of puintifig. L>t Lil <. 11 Lt L L l u- 

rc LdJid ol sculpture as til till flic 
other fine arls and li 11 branches of 

science.. A-- il ;bK were niht 

enough to indicate the role that t he 
pillaging Ljf cultural patrfmonj 
wiii io pFaj in ihe destruction ol 

[Ik- cultural mid national identity 

ol Poland, ..le.'d to non- 

existence as an autonornOtis indlvl 
duLil si tste, one need only consider 
lb« words xl i r h li if h llie Cover- 

. General of occupied PolarkL. 

l Mms Franck, Mlulstei of lIic 
Reich, inaugurated I lie new Mine 
l ih ili ii [n Cracow ljo Apj-Ll 4ih, 
I Ml; The pni'pijsi-'i ol ihis library 
cannot be measured only in terms 
based mi (Etc more or less transito¬ 
ry circumstance* jiI I lie ... 

but on i he in Jest rue table primary 
found a I toil of German mi^iit. And 
It the garrisons Lnlhe town express 




1 1 ll- will of iIil- Fuhi'L i lIi.ll Ibis ler- 

] ia-ui-> should remain pern . eruly 

integrated in iKl- future wilbiii lilt 1 
Ccrmsn sovereignly, if the funds 
mental law of ilia FQhrcr must be 
pm Into pi act ice here so that this 
territory will never again Ik- Ire a* 
Ltd as in:4 upied territory, bui ns an 
integral part, a contiguous territo¬ 
ry i iVefr^nid 1 1 rjt (il the German 
Reich' cultural guidance and the 
s pi r i l u;bl inspiration fert-ai Iill] o l er 
c li i s territory, too, carnlot but tOrtie 
from the Germans. From ihis mo¬ 
ment ocLj whatever i- no I Gentian 
In i ii is 111 l'i i shall lii." considered h>- 
reign to ic'" 1 . 

X\ 11Fl these words jl real and true 
process (il national expropriation 
was announced and put into prac¬ 
tice: artistic and cultural spoila,- 
lion was uni clu- last means used in 
the reLilioUion of r H i ^ object. Nil 1 
story lhI lIk- removal Lo N U ri tube rg 
ol the altar of Veil St<i^ from the 
Marienkirche at Cracow would in 
Li seif be a chapter *uI I ici cut to illu¬ 
strate lhe methods and ..ges of 

(he plunder ini'. 

The ill os i attlhoj itaiivt power¬ 
ful figure in lhe Nazi hierarchy we¬ 
re luVOh'fdl in 1 Iil" h>iiliii]r Unde: Vu- 
riinUh lilluh. Hermann Goring, in 
particular, who was second-in- 
command to Hitler had no need of 
any specific title n> authorize his 
intervention apart From his mUlte' 
his personal interest :lh a collector 

□ml his motor.sever bearimpnes*- 

Sscondly, Himmler, as fender <d 
eIII' f>S.. lIsc racial elite ol the regi¬ 
me and of theA?fFte«gr&e, asthe In- 
Strum'-Tit id racial research for the 
cun sol illation of ilu- purity of die 
German iaLL-. was ill el gL^jtl posi¬ 
tion He participate In the conU-SCS- 

e Ll:-ii i il Juuih.li properly Em aid his. 

1 researches; lastly, Rosenberg to 


whose Elm&itft&b was entrusted 
I he job of cultural fond racial.) re¬ 
clamation in occupied territories. 
Rosenberg worked ^]lh particular 
zeal in occupied France, but when 
he became the Reich's Minister for 
occupied! territories in die Elim id¬ 
ler the at lack on the Soviet Union 
lx w^h uMl- to gir^jcK enlarge kit 
area of operations 
in Lbe West, lou, : h L>. complex 
plundering opera I ion had I he gene¬ 
ral i in of depriving Jiu.-i se cultu¬ 
ral crtvironrucm* of their spedfk 
values and underlining propagan- 
disiieatlyj prior to ihe initiative's 
being carried lo its eeneluswn, the 
assimi Lability — il liol ;hv comple¬ 
te homogeneity - ol certain areas 
as regards the gentian Ic character 
destined iu predominate for the fu¬ 
ture according (he Vi/i plan. In 
lfiuM.- terms. the country ll hose as¬ 
similation was most strongly insi¬ 
sted un was Holland, on Lhe pre¬ 
text that the deepest foundations 
of Duluh culture belonged to j 
common genmnlc origin, and with 
t£te accent uej the Idea that racially 
and spiritually the L>uteh belonged 
to die western border area Lit ilu- 
gerninnic ethnic common! hr * 3 Tm 
F rance the prupajpLnda ljI hudi 
theories was * great deal more dlf- 

flcult In I act. Lhe uj'J et's given lu 

Rosenberg had rather a different 
luiie. On March IsL. 144?. Hitler 
defined Alfred Rosenberg's task as 
foil aws: 

"Jews, freemasons and die ideolo¬ 
gical enemies of National Socia¬ 
lism allied to them are presently 
SiiLiking vllie urt [lie Rakli. Tile hV- 
Eletrmlic h pi ritual struggle against 
these forces U a job which is a ne¬ 
cessity o I war. 

I l ijvl therefore ankcd the Rsicks- 
letter Alfred Rosenberg u> tarry 


mil lb ns L:Lsk W il li I It.- Chief of I^l- 

Supreme Command of tbe iFsftr- 
nmcht. His operative9 in iKtuptL-d 
IcrritoricB have i lit- riglil EO rv- 
search die relative material, aif- 

i i11 li .gh llbrai il>., archives, 

lodgeE and cultural and id!cological 
institytlons and to conflscaie ii for 
use ill lIw ideological work of the 
NSl>-\r and for future srienliRc 
work and research in die Senioi 
SlIuhiI |ol :^'s^ , -lr^■|l iLrui SulimuL] 
S(xLali--L doclrincb The >jiill- i li- 
Ici^: applies to Mitli cultural padi- 
mony as is found lo ho the proper- 
i ■. ut Jews. In- ii ownerlessorol dn 
hiiUis ownership". I I.ve ti'eArmacAi 

High Comm .| for ns part, had 

li(jiu Scptembci Hdi ] ( ?40, ■ m- 
atds already detet mined that no 
cippostlion ego in hi tbe confiscation 

..spot tat ..I goods lo Get 

iinui} would be rccognlzcdj given 
that Rosenberg was' authorized lo 
i-ikr.- to Germany and pot into safe¬ 
keeping such i hi lIk- cultural patri¬ 
mony iis l11 1 considered valuable', 
detislons i>m iiL- ultimate mil lj:;, 
titjji beiEig reserved I he FsUhrei 3 *- 

A story woven us .Etlple contpEl 

cities: dipinmits (Kibbenlrpp and 
i lie Aj i ib.Lhsa lIi> r Abate hud li t li o.l 1 ll- 
mcnlal rule in lhe sacking, not only 
ut Jewish property, in France, all l- 
niilimrv liiu bijj tooting operation 
would have I>l l[i possible without 
the Lt ^ J/rhrrrji-yj/l Lllif r xiliL L -. mil] 
quarians, art experts and pekjIi- 
teers ol every kiml. Before the Lii- 

cemeaucEi.. 193$ Cdriog nKik 

|Hi-.schviLjn of 14 rare masterpie¬ 

ces, t c (i]i i Impress km Is ¥.\- 

pies&tofiisjnij 1mm German rnu- 
seums lei hkJl-i oi (J-.L- them m t-\- 
change Ihe' classical masterpieces 
The canfusJon ul the a.utlmrlties 
tn i d l li r il n i l'i jmpclcn I I x id i l-> 
competing to l.lUl' possession ut 



[lie saim- loot in llsI have been such 
that [lie German police authorities 
themwlvesf lell con siruined |:j 
asked ihal some.order was pul into 
the plundering procedure, given 
that otherwise any German soldier 
et m side led liiinH'lf aulEtot i in tii- 
kiL- any piece nl art or lurnilure 
I Ini I ini errs led him from occupied 
territory to furnish hii home or of¬ 
fice. 11 is IK 11 possible In jLEH.MMlHJ the 
del alls, pi [his sturv which often 
sounds l ike something fponi crime 
literature. The story has. in any ea¬ 
se, been fold for ihe mart part, us 
we haee said, by Brenner, 3evdc- 
tviiK arid others, 

Ei is mure important, in conclu¬ 
ding. in leLutn to the aims which 
lay behind the is hole operation, To 
elm ily these evert further we *-an 
cite erne last doeilPlitjnl. On hiovem- 
hea 21 m, 3 ( M0, Mars ham Goring 
wrote u limii Imeis i to Rosenberg. 
; fuel el die already much luvuiiik- 
ned operations group in France, in 
ii. among other Lii inys. he mint 1 : 
"As regards lhe cultural patrimo- 
riv eonTiseated in France I wish to 
communicate bridly [lie follo- 
wing, Aliei a great deal of effort E 
am very pleased to see dial an offi¬ 
ce lias at last been ties igniued I'm 
ihe collection of objects, lhnu^h it 
should he remembered I ha I uihri 
offices Huve hill powers conferred 
on them by (he I tibici m ihis re- 
spec l. Mteh i.js the Foreign Minister 
of the Reich, in the Him place, who 
some months j»yu sent out a circLt- 
br to all departiticin* in which he 
bus, among others. authority over 
iiL l- li pied terr i lory. i nfu rmi n y. 
them that the safeguarding oi cul- 
luial pal ri monies had be^n cm in- 
sled to linn. 

I further believe that lhe Ministry 
[j| Fropagamla of ihe Reich also 


has Ihe job of oert living the dueu- 
menLalion relating to such art oh, 
ieL:i s as were ai erne Litnc removed 
from Germany and Mill have to be 
brought buck to Germany. Beil this 
is chiefly a question of objects 
found in the possession of enemy 
museums. 

I hiiu' promised m gbe all possible 
support to the work ol your colbi- 
bo ntl or-s ONI I to put a-l I the J I di s]!h ;■ 
si Lion ail which has been lacking 
I hem before now, ihat is to say, 
transport and surveillance person 
nel, and the /.ufitvafft- is onder in- 
struct Lon to eilfer maximum help, 
further to this-. I would like In in¬ 
form you that l have been able to 
1 1 'iiitJVi! tioisi then llidme places 
some particularly previous mt oh- 
|oet& width wcte the properly of 
Jews, as lor some lime now E have 
been uncovering Isiding ptaees ve- 
ry difficult to find bv bribing and 
e i n pio 1 , ing French policemen and 
detectives* Work is Mill in pro- 
l'.ies.s, along w-iih Lliat of my autho¬ 
rities in charge ol I lie search bn-fo¬ 
re iytv banknotes hi l reaming off 
safe deposit buses in the banks. In 
bolli cases [lie icsult ol rbe opera¬ 
tions will lie communicated to 
to ui who will corner 

and. collect the gi>uds. J he cotlaho- 
i a l lot i ai presem going on between 
your operations £rt)Up and Mr 
Thumer's Paris office seems t<i me 
crtvmpliin iihd uveeplionaLly smta- 
ble and promising 
To prevent iti islulceo ideas from 
arising about ihe objecLs which I 
wislind ilp didijii for myself, and 
wlik'h in pan [ have acquired by 
purchasing, in part would like to 
acquire, 1 wish 1u communicate to 
you the follow irig 
Ji Thanks to purchases and ex¬ 
changes I possess today whal is 


pui hi-ips ihv ikiList important pi lVil, 
le collect ton, at least in Germany il 
110 L m the whole ol Europe. These 
are works which f summarize uri 
Jei the Liuocept hjJ pruto-noi'dic 
masters or pruto-germani-ir, ihe 
car Lie si Dutch and Flemish, 
French Gothic, both painting and 

st iilptmv. 

Z> A I a i rly w i de a nd h i ghly va I uahi e 
collection of XVIlth cenLury 
Hutch. 

3 1 A re lal ive I y sr ri id I bu r ^ vp y E i ne 
collect Uni ol XVI [ E l fi eentu ry 
French, and lastly it vnlteciiun ol 
It;ilinn masters. 

The entire collection will in: Ul: pi 
very Worthily in ihe Karin hall and 
will later pan iu ilia State as my ie- 
S-Lvcy with Ihe pruviso lliai ihe Gal¬ 
lery must remain ill ihe Km inholl. 
The FdAn’-r ha>, looked upon my 
project with great favour and it 
has his support. 

To mLegraiv [Ilfs ycillyeEion [ pbn 
io buy a lew works from confiisea- 
ted Jewish profM-rty. These will be 
principally masters of whom I as 
yet puswHfi tlti a samples and works 
necessary foj' such L in integration. 
From lime to tune 1 show- the pie¬ 
ces to the Fdhrer. Purchase is ba¬ 
sed urt an esnuiination uf ihe nih- 
ject!? by a French expert [...| The 
purchase price is depEisiied with a 
person of I rust nominated by ihe 
Carman Stale [.,.], 

As we are dealing with hurtdf'edis 
mid thousands uJ paintings I his is a 
very modeM pe rant age. L'p 11 > now 
■l cnines [Q about fifteen painltngs 
liul I main lain 1 hn I ihi-if poreeiiiLigi; 
is legilimate. if only baeause it is 
possible Lu demonstrate that I 
Linear I bed a lat-jp 1 purl of i!il-v-l- 
wiirks from I heir hiding places 
(hanks to my own |k:i siuulI e-Hurts. 
As regards the most valuable parls 



of" the collections, ntiEur.il]} the 
F&hret has the right to lIll iJe tholi 
destination UliE there still remains 
an escepEtofuallj large numbei oi 
objects, probably In the ordei oi 
nmt [l ir.'Ur.iin Ji, which can be uti¬ 
lized to decorate party jim.I slats 
offices as well li to IMJ the mu¬ 
seums' 1 , 

L'p to now we hate heard I he voice 
11 1 Cur ins which rest iters as espi kit 
a:* c^Liltf be po-s--i bIo. lhi.- request 
for Rosenberg's compEleity, the le 
gitimacy ul a rake-off from the loot 
acid l he destination of Lite works 
which were to enrich the Reich- 
Very Li I l!e is ’-ciiil about Hi I lee's ro- 
le. Hitter had an ambition to create 
al Linz, the capital of northern Au- 
51 ria, the i L-gi chi ol his birth, one oI 
l he biggest il HOI (he biggest mu¬ 
seum in I he world, or ill least to 
Europe, Already today — he told 
hi* collaborators — I flu- Linz Galle¬ 
ry, l believe, would bear comparl 
son. with any ol the most modern 
American galleriesTo make 
Linz into a world capital was hie 
dream ol n provincial who haled 
Vienna, the great L:iy. mid the co¬ 
smopolitan Viennese. Jc was (lie 
provincial ideal of Hitler coming 
to the surface again, only in this 
case ii onulii onI) be I ultilled by 
pillaging throughout Europe, by- 
ginning with lLl- confiscation of 
udikd'mm (he Viennese Jews 1 , in 
1 44^ whole lists of work-. declined 
to go u> Linz were found, among 
iliem was Leonardo's L«h* which 
had bean taken from Italy”. Linz 
was further seen, in competition 
with Curing, a* Lhe nun-eoginphic 
poly in si ill I fieri I CnCi-marLS cl lilt 
could be set agaiu*L lhe Kai iithnll 

as tine chief centre for ad works of 

northern German}. 

Oii(.L- ii find gismi it-nc Lu J|> utlli- 


11 ii itJe mism w i t h (lie con Jem n si ioi i 
af "degcnci die m (' and w here pos* 
.sihln- wEUl ks commErciaUmtion, 
lhe Third Reich, carried out a Sfr 
eund u]Il: rat Ion, that of annexing to 
iLself all the masterpieces of el-imsi- 
cal an by li soi l of spiritual pernm- 
nization. Bui uk Li &]] ibis were not 
LtiLJunli II li k'd io despoil the who- 
le of Europe and prevent any other 

country .. possessing a bigger 

or richer patrimony ol art wuiks 
c halt the Gemini! ime (ii cry e ul i u- 
ral c-unsicleration was subqrdllUL- 
ied in ibis lusi objcctivcj nol an iso¬ 
lated ea^e but u rare one la i|k sy- 
detnaLizaLion and its breadth, in 
the history ul spiritual and mate 
tla I pi under of eu I c uroi pm: i mini y. 


1 Awtf Mm hK Mtin I Kir . I KSuiicben 

I'JVi. r ]S3 

’ The PI 11 ml il'.L" i;.flits IS . 1 - :■ I ik-.il ■. 

I !il- k-il i.'I ., s| M-L-I I. hi lli! Ii r | L -pi I ■:! Ik i J in 
Jimi m W'i 11 Die Ritilemten Ki<u-.:r iiti Writ¬ 
ten Wi'l-A. Et»» J/i.il. iVj.'i, ii.- P„-i:ili,k 

[yii-i. pp. M 

’ FOi ;■ writs, of rremplifiailioai of the vi 
■no al in ippdcraJ tu "_he vdU;... Ji .. uliyji,- ,-I 

ihL- twetailyi and ... mi- iJw ,Jm,- 

PWilHjmed work by J.W:ir jhuei'hi 

1 .Li THU, Hmusiihh jj, v u...i.-, JA 

l{^.hff]^mderI^ £j>ie Wertungdei iceliizf-.ri i. 
jJigm r rriialtejtiAmpfi unwir Sets, XI,,:,. 
lIh ii. 1M14. p l'I? 

' A. R(wEHftU£. up, (id. pi. 3*3 ■ 

* From u.t Mat L.k-h ? ILmIl-: Qi (454 ,,-|„.,. 
iLii-.nl in I W. I I til .9, iid 

T 1 1 41 "I I ILi .-r ',IrojtEfoffl it. FBhr*r- 

fiauptquBTtier IMI I *1-1. Pk -tulziii Irmr 
pun liui ii m.-Jj JIli:i-i Hertafjsegtban 
Wcmei IwboiKIHI Hamburg 1-iHO. pp. . lul i 
■tM. to the (lain HnSi M L i I'41 
1 l. U'TI I k INtiijJijia- dr. pp JBfihflT.todw 
lH;h e SepHimtui Srst m-i 

9 .\niijiiu live innih WWkl wtUfil.. 

ftaci I~i.il r- irLUii-J i..| l£il^ pnUem i: b 
LO HMfHtQfk PETER gjUET, Die Berli¬ 
ner SuxziiirL Ud^ne iLinir nrld Ikftt 
F'.-i'inh {rft A-'ni -r r/i. Jli-i.- .'Ji-ir. -.i th-l llll 

W- 

I'- 11II m I h-ill Dh i -SSI h D:-.- K/I nilpi Jiti k dii 


-i.r;'i!,':-,■ Ki- i:hi k l^i .. f . 

1 1:.- nneral wwlu HirmiLvely publbhed 
an trie .i syntlicilE is Ki s 

11 VM i M-V-Mli fk- -j r,,.?-,: Vmi.V,- , V.. 

li .. 1 ■■ ■ ■.- ii 1 1 -. m nj. X I ii rs if. ■ ■ fi>* ■ 

KfiilHipatitUk iiutlurproAilctian, KmIii H-si. 
; i Hkennei dr, |! * 

- |. Eim\s.i:, Emit finer tiUrferJiirJien 

... ^Ji.- petirfjefcf Fonrtie- 

■ unc der fte ■, ■■■■i-.i A™ AkaJt mie der X dlnrlx 
ah ISIS. SimlBui 1K.2 a ie 

' A n-m.ii ..Mb .'i lIii ... 

sludk' ■ .| i lie Dijiiiml irnfFered by i hi -1 
i-.Iul'.il- 'il the nhlb inn onnni^d hill 

ihtrilll ... -I" prohibited N inks 

premotrd bv ilk AcsiilcanLe der Kl,i:■■ i■:■ ■ iF 

Ml--,: K-i II-I LI.IS ..Vi.I ,ni.-l I-.I- f, 

HdcherverbrnuiLiBg Oeutsdilifid LH3 t" 

I .LII -sr-1ukite.-I h iI^i-i . EV-i li n 14* \ 11 n ■ 

I Ik'i consideration! and bib] Hjfrrz'pt lie ol 

..'.son i In- .. . I iff ti-und 

II. K t 'll l'l| II -X . li ■■; n. lit I '.i: ■■ .1 i-.il l:i VI...I-.- 
Invdfuiq: ii;i.■'i..iii.i!--■.i l'.: i!im■■ Ira ildrio 
2rtfllil ■■ 1 ulliii ;i jnlilicB, io tiu 'Kiv icta ili 
--.I,.i ,:■ :-H ■ I■ M |:h .| .,|- L -:.' 1 M4, ihj, I. pp 1-4-1. 
M We lU'.'Il' ..ml' ol iIk- moil - ip:i.li'. .ini 
lexti an ilk ..i l,■ i. .i : ,,,-. I.at lit 
kind (JAMB 1 ii 1.11 «1K Hw L,',-k.-n'u- 
rung. /J'.-. I., fafcnn for t ofi Eind Sruu ihhh 

.*■'jjiiJr^ii..i.j.v i. r/s i .. and <i'-> 

Ceir.'i'-k Aia^Jiwu'iEnioAatt, Leirulo Berlin 

|V.!-1 

■' .-I £*NEfll I'.n.r t und Jit 

natianalsozialiiche Kuistpolitik. J n;-. iJ -- 

r. .. . AinJetlking ji- 1 '- "entorTni 

foBir MCmehen iv*i 

B As l!-milll."l :■ ksl ..l-ll.-IT Mlliyi |: BEEB.BL 

the nta "pik "I the cruil esblbition id up 

bi ... In ■ fjlrrt Irt 

1 : '7'J 

,T Crown Dmlxhi KmnnuuHllHHi iv-i? 

i^'. mm (te* .-.k: X " M in Lf. Ji. n. 

t.aLi' kilei AuDlielluErigakatHliig ti. 2r 

f Cf. ... I lllsz. , 1 , \ , ^s.' Id r. Hr:ch. 

:n,I.WW, I.-I. ■ MS-. ,‘i. funk Ml I.'I 

M. 1974, pp. L2+I25 [ntalofiK of lhe 
Fnakturl e\bibitioa .sf 1474). A marc gene 

I.'I Mu-k 111 ill:- ..' - -I-1 !:■ ii . MC fVl Itflfr 

M l Mil .-n S'lfj 

Xtmlcircvalulion, Mikichen 1974. 

T Ki Dm 111? KK: ;.i.i 11: .il Iy 11 *n - .i Iff I Ik- th is 
luLlbuT nE CUtLOTO bladimn e mcielk te 
1-0.1 ILHn Turin 1^2 pp 22IMJQ 
* d hc:r.-> n'.'i. i'.- ..'-a A-", ii i. 'I, i 
Jr Tmur, 13 l' :lin imdaled 11937). 

Jl A|j..il .. Bil-.-iiii-i \ ki-1 k Ml .1 gsnaffll 

-inliili- .11- i k|i-lkT|s;|l-ik- though L- III L-ci 

k-1-k I- E'lHSZ Itill ■'7 I ".--I-I. . . X ■. "i m 

Zj.j 1 r.-. .-i 'I JU--.- ; -|. ft, llHIIHnei l u r] 

-- (In itir cmian|UEiicei of diicri mi nation 




rm incthodlxol arliiLic pfuducEiurl tal del Llw 
Ttl I ;l lii. ii Ii IWQ mctll I- Hi -:l ■-■ill II" i«n 
porlaail documental hi; I'k - trial p.tad 

lijf ■! I" H I I:. I-14 i l n: il.L Ml! KH.W i -A Bliil 

burg Ve/boteH-VerfoIgi Ktvritri:>- -ii-.. 

i ft. .-I 1 1'iAi. t Ik second b} tin Kmlbilli 

I.I HadUfrira! i'.-.M-r . !<t.L uk .(it 

UuHt>urf(%])L 

-■ F K ... S4-S7 ft. Mekkeh, up. 

li'j., p. L5S. 

' ] ll’i . file IfiirutoaNtrl .Jr-- >■ ■■ ■ 

ndfrosiafihm-Hl ICkL.i p ' l l"-i 

c KuM A Ml lm: | A | rant L-.L- I Art, .. 

IWI pp j 

v Mi L -mi ii H /.:i tie an'iitiqur ■■■ Farix 

-.. .. patio* ,i'. the Gearnex I'mnpidou 

Centre Fuiii-Farii, L$)T- I =i = t' P l ,-,, :-jh’ p 

Teal rrprtdurtd In I Wl'LF, Of- til- p 

1-1S. 


M Ajum in J lA ■ 11 . uji ■ n . r 1 4)7 

K ■ I 11 IJII-I M t-K Si™BVm 2, Die Jj.i war mil 
iJrrn ffcrmEifn. Drr graxjre EurtilnlH) H$b i 
R Ikrllr (East! 1-S&3; the ink- i liken 
Froni i he celebrnlrd L.l'bib rJ o b j Ir WH 1 - -"i 
Ql C 1 1 1 _i. Gallerani which I be Germ on ■ 
|. I rcrn I In- mUS«UII -I £ ■ M 11 « M l* Sey- 
d^wilz became curator ijI Lhc Drcaden A'i 

ndht v ,.iu-i itic liber.. 

" XVe lilhiu' from i II.. -.h.i-h edited bp Ma* 
Fnetherrfil J'rfii DawtSi.LkGnejvejTTrTJEnii 

Wurrkni; 1942 r 1 1-41 

1 cF. StsidtsMbliiolhefc Krakau FeirAiehr 

t-/ .i l l ,'i.'i-- rj'.-. ■-: i. dtn Nifi: fearralj. . 

near ffrichm siuler />< FnmnA am ■> April 

: Krakau 1941 . n- 1 ^ J '. 1 
I. Uhi-^ih J!;V ANi.h.'r-Jii.i :i'. - VarTi> 
rufm IElS Rrwwdr.. pp. ilium# anrl: K. il M. 
savbtuwiHCUb Id puikular pp- 4 WS- 
■' 1 An runrrplaxj Li I la, [he ipiril ini-.. 


I n- -il. ii k Llfi*. loo nfririiii, edited h' MAX. 

Freiherr l.l I'M I I .. Vn'O-EJ I -■■ .k i Wie 

dtrlarliii rm I trofraxiHcfc JcrZeilen. . I:'.v ji.i.j 
TlJi. ih-: whw, . >. t. H.-w ft, Ift'ttrtbhi* 
I'M] 

IJ Fenl in I A\i F, ap. nit., pp. -111 -4] 3 

'' Fee:I in ' iA'i , lp 4M-*dll 

lr A. Elm i h .Tl.„.-, 1 1 :,..,,, p I'r-. l-i lk J:i- 
i-_- J ;-J4 Iknilvi I'M I 

(In I hr project Im i!n- l.m. .wettm-cf I. 

I)M fa , I.-A til-, pp 

ward. ft. u M Semextin. ~ aj. pasiim. 
j.ikl J. 15111 rap :inL dIJlisjts! Srdithf. 

Jijniv-'i.'i.'iK Jut ttriSUH Fib h. Eirre Da 1 m 
i-'li "I "ii i ■■ -i|. XVlLHl h.i.'l i I'e'S 

* The ... ..I- had -i 1:1-flji-. ... 

Hil in I FlU-ENMEl /j|e Kimstpaiitik cit., p. 
Iw j.m.1 ■Jumxt HwruefflfHjranHiUE.Iy by ih« 
S'-.Iiuiim. 1 -. pp reih”. ^el| ir formed on 
ilib irmi. l; i ,,| .in worfca fmin Ilaly. 


Mr Smhh f s water 
co lours 



Mr Smith's water 
colours 

Rkcardo Marian i 


%N']iti lio ankleentitled ’’Ail w ^In-- 
foundation at the creative force Itl 
polilLCs' <i1 Apt il 24th, I9J&, the 

lyf&is l'^i l i Bsobacftler an .. ceil 

ihe pubEteatl.. li wllwikHi ol 

water colours by Adolf Hitler, edi¬ 
ted h i- H l'l n i ll'Ii 11 oftrnann, ol I ic i li I 
photograp h c r of ihu Reich and pet 
son a I plwiograpEiei to Hitler him¬ 
self. There were seven water CO- 
lours, fix printed in colour and li 
seventh in black liikI while. 

In ..g lIh.-sl- works. the 

commentator state* i Ii-jli ih L ' r if i ■ 
ret;iii sink' has assumed quile natu- 
ndly a particular arilsUe form ^n- 
lLlj' the Ji let uhj n id Etiller, 'artist, 
architect and bttEIdei ol chr- \luju- 
■ iliI Socialist Stale'. Referring, 
among lUliei things, in ihe 
FuliFer's artistic past.lie 
Today we know i liiil ii w&S no mil- 
re accident that Adolf HiJk'i' was 
urn ai one it me numbered among 
1 1 k' nunicrous pu pi I-, Lit' ihe Vien ne- 
» Academy ol Painting, He was de¬ 
stined For higher thing* than beco¬ 
ming a good painter or perhaps li 
good architect. E3i^ gilt for pLiin 

ling It . inti lLltlL idI )is|)vU of 

Ii i :-•■ personality bill a Fundamental 
trail which L*. pan of ih l- crux of 
his existence, There exists an Inti¬ 
mate, unfailing link between the 
Fiihneris ariEsrk works and Ii is 
great political works. An artistic 
nature is also Ml the r ^ji >i of 1 1 i dfr 

i'L'Il ifirruriE lls ll pidinLi.Lll alld >La- 

tesman. Hi* artistic activities were 
not fust li cahU.iL pastime of his 
youth, a side channel Into which 
l 1 1 political genius of the oilmi 
could flow, hill a funda menial con- 
dll'Ion of his creative idea in us to¬ 
tality (...) HieFuiirei has given the 
term politic? li sense of construc- 
i ion, and he could not have arrived 
al this il 1 1 were not dial his politi¬ 


cal idea developed tm _ L basis of an 
understanding resulting I mm Ills 
personal acllvites in Uil- creative 
Lin field'. 

In it ii1 1 ), cltH-r-. iiLi-. liLL'i l Far too 
much written on this artistk pasl 
of Hitler's much <|J i[ irrelevant, 
especially where li possible link Ls 
■,1 mi pin between lii> experiences' 
up lo lui 4 lmkI the arch Hedonic 
and general artistic achievements 
of ihe third Reich The opposite, 
rather, is the llim- ill l lie sense that 
there exists X real fracture bL- 1 - 

nr.Hitler's I ir -.1 pictorial L'lpoii- 

meats mid die Iliivi Indications ^i- 
ven to lIil- architect, Speer, correct 
in lie ihe design of various monu¬ 
mental works 

Speer himself r:i his memoirs gives 
an account of Hitler's cultural 're 
Formation' after iIil' meeting with 
Troost. 

Tlis altitude iiiTmmim u.ls almost 
iIilii <if fill]) i I lu master, ainl Li re¬ 
minded me of the uncritical t4mk 
ration I lu have For Tesseficrw, 
1 1 was :i■ i aspect of Hiller that I ve¬ 
ry tiiUL h liked I an- amazed fey ihe 
Fact iliLii this man., object ol the ad¬ 
miration of his Follower S, l'im11l 3 in 
turn be capable of such adulation, 
ConmEerinp himself lim architect, 
hr.- bowed before ;hc genius hi| a 
master In this Held. In the l kid ul 
|Xj I i c i l m he would never have dene 
it. ilitlet recounted with great him- 

I'd Ll1h bow when he l-lui T ruost's 

work “line veil t l 1 LI from my L'w.-h".. 
And tiL- added: "From that moment 
l couldn't beat the things I'd desi¬ 
gned up to then. What good fortu 

ne lu nave reel that .. " Good 

fortune indeed-continucs Spl'lt- 

will..roost h ini Iul-iill- Hitler's 

i.lml- in architecture would fi lit- 
been something unimaginable le 
u li>- Hiller himself who once 'diu 



wed tih/ his alhiim of skeleton* 
which must have dated back to the 
early Twenties. They were rcuj.h 
des-i g ns. Lhl building h 'representati¬ 
ve' in ihn noo-ljarorjiie style ol the 
Rmgsi raise ul Vienna, characteri¬ 
stic: of the Ninel!, es. A ttiriewi* 
i li 1 ii oil ved in Lih th ese a re hil ee- 

tenit prejeste, s.etimes on the 

same page, there were sketches of 
firearms and warships!' 

So much for die testimony of Al- 

ber i S]K'i.' i. an jls s is I.. s and pr i vi- 

leged collaborator whose peremp¬ 
tory Judgement Is substantially ne¬ 
gative els regards i he dictator'* ar¬ 
tistic inspiration, enamoured of 
Frendi and Austrian fin tft dpek 
architecture. In fact, lhe buildings 
which were accorded Hitler'* toi- 
abest praise were ihuse which had 
impressed him in hi* days as a 
young aspiring arLkl: [he Paris 
Opera hy Charles Caroler, which 
lie only knew from illustrations, 
and the Vienna Opera, 

Genera 11 y ipeak ing. his cu Itural re¬ 
ferences were orientated toward 
certain martoeriat pruduciiuiiH. to 
the work* of Llelmei and of FelZner 
;soJ likewise to certain XIXI h ccn- 
L li n li rehitKt* like Ctottfrted -Sem¬ 
per. designer of I he Opera anti An 
Gallery til Dresden ami of the Pala¬ 
ce and the Imperial MuSOUm* lit 

Vienna. 

'in the Fidel of architecture — 
Speer testifies ;igain — ami likewi¬ 
se ih-jU <if p:u:Llitip ©nd seul |SLu i e . 
Hitler remained fixed in lhe world 
t if his. youth, die world between 

lUband 1414, i be period respond- 
hk- tlihl ortly for his artistic tastes 
but also fur his [dcuslegy 1 . 

As ia well knuwn, Speer wrote his 
memoirs in the Spanduu prison us 
a hew ten nurV irttpriffirtcd tfSfffl, and 
frankly, such a drastic condemna¬ 


tion is surprising after such miiiihi 
dilioual service. Not I ha I Hilicr 
was miy foet,t©i than Speer makes 
him uuL in these writings, bill cor¬ 
nu nly S pee r himself, and the point 
is worth underlining, wan [he doci¬ 
le inslrument who knowingly i"” 
Luuraged lhe E r uhrer in Jri h pro¬ 
gressive cultural involution, at 
leasi an lar an architecture was 
concern©!. Further, these contem¬ 
porary judgemEJits of h i ^ suggest h 
probable desire In cundcMjend lo 
[he reader rather than make au¬ 
thentic sot! finally free l-j i c Li_-lj l jud¬ 
ge meat a, 

Bui Uh proceed hy sragen. 

Hiik'r's water colours are one ef 
rhe rare pieces of material eviden¬ 
ce as in Inis cultural stance. A pene- 
ral crilicism ui ihern can be com¬ 
pletely offimnd like that of Speer 
and many olhers. They are, in kid. 
lightweight WHJtkh which any 
young an student cow Ed have pro¬ 
duced- Any young art s-LutlenL, lhal 
who was devoid cl any exs#ptiio 
nil gift* or any artistic isTent- 
Thus may the matter be quickly di¬ 
sputed df- Nor. on Lhe other hand, 
could Lt be ot fcterwire: Hitler is 
what he is. as we all know him. 

Anything further sm-h ns w.e 

ahoul Lo say in idle reflection, 'de- 

fantasy.. tits la¬ 

me for breaking down and reas¬ 
sembling according to a different 
11 J ( 11 1 I S OWtt SLI ke , I 111 L' i-Lll L'.ie (- 

else in 'literary Cubimm'. 

These wstei colours !iax*e for their 
Eubjccl various urban environ¬ 
ment s <jJ Vi enna. and M unichi ciliea 
wilfi a stroii g eti.smopwl[£nfi spirit, 
with nothing of rhe rural ahoul 
[hern.. 

They give I he impress i^n uf having 
been Lu-pied Irom photographs ra¬ 
ther than pamii-d At the easel In 


Front of Lhe subject I he style anil 
treatment are tliosc of workh edi- 
led ol a riling desk. iki[iie ol Lhe 
view* are. ill loci, repented, maihc 
even hlsifled, maintaining the -ta¬ 
me optical iiih bui from a closer 
viewpoint, In these cases Lhe close- 
up k mi Improvement, executed 
VLith a surer hand. The urban eim- 
Kutmeni represented is almost al¬ 
ways very complex' wiLh a move¬ 
ment of volume, a multiplicity of 
plan ex. fragmentation ill spaces, 
attempts a[ dynomic chiarascuro 
etc, lhe mu-.ui detail I*consi¬ 

derable. the various building mate¬ 
rial* can be clearly distinguished 
as can Lhe condition id lhe huil- 
dlngS, ibuii dfeoratLve tidal Is. cb- 
ji-cls anil street funmbmgs. po¬ 
sters l>ii lhe ualls, even lo Lhe dres¬ 
sing of Lhe shop windows. 

■Shi me autOgrapliipaJ XlXrh centu¬ 
ry thua affixed n> Hie water co 
lem i s, and above all the out of ecu le 
plad i ig {particularly ungraccf11 li 
of lhe figures, eon I km-, ine hipt^- 
Lhesi> ol wurkv copied from old Il¬ 
lustrations, prints or postcards In 
oilier words, iIm-ms views are Ln 
rv-pry a> similar kj thousand:-, of 
others which served to Illustrate 
many European cities at [he begin¬ 
ning id ike industrial revolution 
^ hen great XlXlb century huil- 
dings alternated with medieval 
and XVILih century tpuce*. 

[L i>. however, certain lha[ in ihe^i- 
picture* K is impassible to recogni¬ 
ze lhe future client of Albert Speer 
On lIic contrary! There in these 
postcards'an ingspitous juLtrej>o- 
lilan' taste, infantile even, hui fur 
li'LMii [lie heavy and totalitarian la 
sie of i tii lev s Thinks and Fortle* 
sly le. 

This Implies at least i^o consitte- 
raliijns: us long as- Lhe architect, 



I'liiusi Es alive — until 1934 — Ill- 
tier, subject to his ascendent in- 

rUtL-l IL.-^-, JLL 11 N Ills own L-.MjIh-- 

ranee and accepts 'past orientated' 
design iTLIwIiriL l3 !>■. jl ei-rmiii St> 
brifiLj and s1\Il\ Basically, Troost 
vi ;i:s part i hi s group of arcEiltem, 
among whom wore Peter Bell lens. 
Joseph M- Qtbrich, Bruno Paul and 
Walter Gropius who up to the first 
woi Id war had fought against the 
spread ol the tinscllj fu gefldalil, 
opposing Li with a design system In 
whi ell 3 I L' ill I r: id i I i( 11 ud l'Il' i i ie 111.-, 
were mbred with the firm ejtperi- 
nK-nt s in '.. 

After the death of Troos-t, his place 
was Immediate!* given to Speei 
who became lhe faithful interpre- 
ler t>l the FOhrer'i d reams, to the 
extent that, ail cultural reserve re¬ 
moved Hiller showed ll■ ■ ■ ■ Mime lsI 
his own sketches from ihe years 
] £ >2>26. L±nd within j. few days, 

with extraordinary diligence and 
speed, Speer produced drawings 

and iimdi'k. 

This was the case with the Berlin 
Are lJl- TirnirLphL'. the Grand Audi¬ 
torium, the Movement Column to 
he built iji Munich and many other 
projects Thus Speer was not the 


architect of the Third Reich but, 
more simply, i lie assistant archi¬ 
tect of Hitler. The latter, without 
any cultural impediment by Lhis ti¬ 
me the sole judge of himself and of 
ulJiuw, d i hL(.i\ l i:t hLmscJf, with 
tea i s- of citwtlon each i j me, to be In 
his turn a 'great architect', in si as 
party propaganda noisily claimed- 
Now, rum paring the Luo periods-, 
that ul the wui li colours up to 
I 4 I J. an d 1 ha I of ihe eye I < ipi c p n *- 
j-ee t h , I rum L 925 onwards, no simi¬ 
larity or o ml inn it y tan hr 1 Found. 
There tni^.lu he two different com¬ 
pletely different personalities, nr 
rather two entirely d ka v-.lul i a I ud 
ftspeoES of i h l" same pcrscHUifity. 
So, the facL (hat Hiller had or 
hadn'l tried on artistic carter up 
-uni il die first world war mates no 
difference; what counts is tlie fart 
lhn1 from a certain moment un- 


w-LLcd.-L, any lli id every critical i'ii'l- 

scnce having been destroyed, Mi¬ 
ller cun be a genius in all iliings, 
bul not really being one he can on¬ 
ly 'play' wkh ihe ettas-perated de- 
rrLL-riE s ef jl language, however mrv 
and deeply-rooted In Lhe common 


sense of the maSSCS: ttW UlCik; RIO 

nuiuemaJ style, accepted, dill use 


and universally unjers land able. 

Ai this point, the guest ion posed by 
Eliaa Cancttl becomes more perti¬ 
nent and painful (Pol ere c r,i►pr-is-- 
vivenza): 'Where i.s ih.e historian 
who could trace lhe course of Hi- 
tier's disease? Even LI today a par¬ 
ticularly scrupulous histofy could 
manage once and for all to free Li- 
^ell from lhe admiralloti of power 
which is Intrinsic to it, ii mighl j.L 
least pul tL*. Osi our guard against P 
nett Hitler. But since lie would up- 
pear in another pi:too lie - would &1- 
so appear m another guise and Lhe 
warning would Ih-:m ^!m. 

Par a real understanding of Ellis 
phenomenon,, now methods of stu¬ 
dy are indispensable, They must he 
songhi 4tiij taken and used whe» 
vet they offer themselves. No me¬ 
thods l<ji such .1 research c$n e\ihi 
yet. Here the rigour of specialist 
di>L-ajjliiu.-h becomes mere aupersti- 
itnn, Wlial escapes e l■ l- specialists 
ts- that which it- really import aril. A 

n IM1-1 l iiginei lied v i . . I I (il- phu- 

nomenun ii lhe main pre¬ 
supposition. Ati^ arrogance ot con¬ 
cept, however useful in other -ca 
ses. can omIv he detrimental Iw-re'. 



Plale 



1 Yirr.rui. Hit h^Hi rch t ' 




























2 Vinuiu, SchdCImLw 























? Vic II > \i ilr- Rnltrinun. 














-i ViennH Pnriojnem 































5. Vkn-jiLi, ParianitriH 




























ib. Vienna, Palul'i AiKnpci|i 
















Vienna, Palais Auers pern 


















5- \ icnni, 


























































■I .. K.iridlurthi. 
















IP vi h iii!.i ^ .. 






















IE. \ :cin.i. hua.li. 










12 Ytcimj UiLliaeliTpliJIV 


















1.1 Vienna, I3uig.ilu'. i: i 



























14 Yiiii'jiii BucuChtulL 1 ! 




























I' l*i. i n ‘i.ii 1« i kin V 






























I (• \ ii'r,:i.i. Kl I kt‘ JfIiij l.1 .mi , IwJl 

























































! Miinltll, Hohbrauhaus- 
































IS. VSuiluh, VHtmaLkumarki mi! Pt'LtrikLrclii; 




























I 1 * 1 Munidi. AJLl's Slaiuli'KNrn.i .un TV^Tsbfrjll 



















W Munjcti, .MM- 1 ' SUMdi-Wiltil iim J^teFE-bi'fpJ 




















Water colours 
attributed to Hitler 
From the Siviero legacy 
an expert examination 

Hermann Weiss 


1. Ohj4H.-[ 

Ai [lu- request ot IhDtepSsl-Crtl&nt 
of Culture |>I I tiL L< ij'ii r J i'il- di Firen¬ 
ze, cm I hi' 7lh, 6 th and Vih March, 
1934, i<igL-i her t\jih Professor 
Hart emit Ullrich, i examined in the 
Ulilli 1 ibr&ry i went y wal l- r col ■ ju n 
attributed 10 A dull Hitler \\ Lih li 
view lu clarifying whether, in fact. 
Hitler was theli author, and k > 
[Inn preparing a report 'in our rt 
searches to Ik- delivered prior lo 
the proposed rahibilion of the 
paintings to lake place at the end 
ill June. 

The palnlLrtgS were part of the Iv- 
gacy of the m Lnliter, Kodolfa Siitiff- 
c u, Lind Iili\l' been for same lime in 
l I ii- iumulK .'I tin- drawings de¬ 
partment of the L.l'li^i, grouped l:i 
;i number of sets, We received no 

information From the Flat. side 

mi the history al the paintings X\ ^ 
were mid only that from 1^43 on¬ 
ward* Slviero worked on I :il- tra¬ 
cing of tut w,>r k^ i-l-ii-.inm-lI from 
kid 1 , l>i (he Germans and aFlci the 
end oF the war W'i& oFfkialljl itilni- 
hiL-d wilfi their relrievsl, In car¬ 
rying OLLl ill is [Ll>k it iS |U'ih|1vlI>Il' 

ifrai he raffle into qI the 

above mentioned painLircgs On re 
quest, u( were .iIhi informed ihui 

the legacy contained m ? lI i h- 11 s 

which might clarify I he history -ul 
the Iwenly ^■.•.ik'i i k iu i s. 

2 , |n-hlri .1 merit* hiT rtnnarch 

In mu research wc u-.L-d the hulln- 
w irtg sources; 

1 -1 doif l H r.'i'' rj h .L/i ih- r utui. Zdich- 
ne.f. f.i:.- U r (rkkalalug dtr OtggmBl- 

de, Aqiterelie, Zeit . .|£rf ttfutAr- 

ckifeklurskizzpn. Edited by Eliik F, 
Price, /mf:. Sis ik.L-j kind 1923 (cited 

L1-. Fri l C Mid dir- .. of the 

paint ingV 


This catalogue which waa the lir-.i 
LiiiLinp: in certifying Hitler's pro¬ 
duction as painter and draugnts- 

.... he used with caution mot 

iinly because ii a I-hi includes the 
forgeries of Konrad Klim it, since 
discovered, bul also because of 
other imprecisrona and errors 
- IkiLimiL'iik ol Mu.- IS! a Iron a I Sn- 
cEalist Pat'Ly Centra] Archives 
(NSDAPfin Ific NS 26 section of I Fn. 1 
Federal Archives of Koblenz (cited 
BA with indication*). Mil' l- 1 'e.lL-- 
iliI Archives contain a series uf 
photograph k ncjjativcs. and some' 
limes al-i> positives, made in the 
NSDAP Archives of all Hitter'* 
paintJjigSj which wore bought back 
by i In- secretarial (Slab) of the Fub- 
rer's representative ■kimI subse 
quently hi Hess's secretariat) or el¬ 
se they lent temporal lly to 
ihk Archives by ilicir owners For 
the purpose (it registering them. 
Above all, From IBS and uniil Lhc 

ouibreakof lEtewar these Archive* 
developed a considerable activity 
on which iiL-i l- based a number ol 
lists not -m H uenl ty com pi vl cd; 
the following lIitsl ript iaiis a re l qo- 
innir-d in t1 1 l- enclosures; 

Enclosure 4 - List of 23 water co¬ 
lours re-purchased- 
Enclosure Q. - List of 10 walei co¬ 
lours by iIdler in die possession ■ rl 

Dr. Alfred Delig, .. ,-l (with di 

me 11 m in i n s). 

]-.! closure C MarLLLSL rfpt USt of I -i 

water colours b> Hitler From l tic 

..ri Archives of the N5PAP of 

which die painter Fritz Miilil- 
lM l'l" hi id Stelncbach had made co 
pie*. pat tlyondrawing paper, Mar¬ 
ik on specially treated photogra¬ 
ph k paper: on the upper i'i ^ It I mar¬ 
gin is the date 1V 1 1 1 Fe l m uar> L4 ^. 
Enclosure l> - Manuscript. list of 
]U paintings by IlitEer, the subjects 


being m.jiirih Munich, i:hi dimen¬ 
sions and annotations re I tiling to 
iiijiJu h\ painters (among 
them , pl 1 | 5 S j: "k! r:i|>liir l-i> pi l--s eohjLi 
red by hunJ>. to their owners., and 

Il> i rtiltL LLL in ms i hi the Motive J pre¬ 
served in the Archives, 

.1. The Paintings 

In ilit. 1 tours* oi an ejmminaifciD erf 
the paintinga in the Liliizi. ih(._s we¬ 
re pui into whal seated to us lobe 
b logical order binned on merely es- 
lLinaJ criteria, and classlflsjd mill 
progressive numbers (cited els m 
and the number ol the painting). 
The d i »l Li nk iog deset IpE-kmis contain 
indications on l he dimension a of 
ihe painting, previous owners etc,, 
(isVeo from the dtoctutenls ol the 
NS DAP Central Archives mid Pri- 
«'s catalogue, After the descrip 
tiun there follows b critical aiiuk- 
sis Of the information gathered lit 
clarify ihe am Kent iem id tlu- pain- 

i illjir,. 

We have analysed ihe following 

paintings; 

]. Vienna, Mickaelekirche (H-l) 
Title and signature: lb, "Wien. 
Koklmarkti'Midhaeleklrche & Dreb 
luuk-rhuLis..A. HHLl-i 

Size- 21 x27.f. cm, (d.I 2$ * 37 

em-1; 

Annotations: on lower margin <rf 
recto, in manuscript "Around sa- 
C ■] L 1 WLlIeIi Oil LI 11 Mdi.’-, 2') 1 / 2 - 37 "; £M 1 
n™, manuscript "The picture 
has been frame bj S. Morgcnstcrrt, 
W1RM IX, Lid)teivstciiLslrosse 4. 
L^lhl ow ner Fabbro Kroger, Wien, 
PlMliLUn-f'T7. 3.38. Sell. Slr.' h 
Shrt'l left loose 131 pibs.se |hill Loot 
with lille printed on the lower 
margin "Adolf IlltlerAVlen Mieha 

rlekirche Lin cl Drrila,uferhaus'*. 


1. Vieimth Schwiemcit (H 2i 
Tille. r.b. In _LT l :■ [1 1 i l' script "all 
WkH/Schaiietttar 1$59" 

Signed: Lb. gothic "A.H.", 

Si m\ 20 -v L.S.2 em {Sheet 1' i/2li 
cm) 

Annotations: ..amiseript, 

same mtnetaliod ns on IT-1 wiih 
printed tills "Ado 11 Hitler/Wlen 
Sc hoi cent hoi" 

PEtiCF. n. 130 sijLL' ZH X 1 6.1 l in 

3. V jen i i-e. Alenas Ralhma (n-ll 
Signed: l.h "A- Hitler" 

Sire: 20.3 X 23.5 cm 
Annotations: <jj ■ retro In utbiionn 
gothic characters: "According to a 
report b\ the Fulmer's ADC.. SS- 
BrlgadefuJLKT Julius Sdlflub, I hi" 
P&hrer and ChamceEkir hns dscla- 
red that ih.k u ater colour is not by 
bis hand, ihe FtUirer and chancel 
kjr denies being the author of Lhis 
patt'iiing Berlin, itnh Maj tot". 
For the Ruididuhrer ot the SS and 
chief of the German police nl the 

Ministers of ihe [ji i. signed 

'Wolff* (rainuicriptj SS- 
(jruppenlijliivv ;lni.I clm-f of I Hi l" 
p a rson al * e c re t a c i :i L a I the 
Reldid ulirer-SS”. 

PRlCfi n. 250 size 20.S>: 23.5 cm 
BA: Negative NS 26'2 L.3- ] 2; 

NSDAI' Central Archives record 
with indication of negative and si¬ 
re 20.5X23.J, 

L-'rrnn^fj, ParlUVntnt (F r F-J| 
Signed: r.h "A. Hitler". 

Si/u. Z-6,S x 4 1.6 cm 
Annotations: verso '’grande 3 
(64X4B)" 

PRiL’E n. 243. si^L 1 27 a 41 h em 
BA: Positive Nl> J-■ 3-+ on die 
back Hii which is ihe staoip of ilit- 
NSJJAJ 3 Ciuiirji] Arehiies T-^ilh the 
indicalion ''213:12 (Frijm TnrtS 
hiuukl" find im-chor. the iinnoki- 
litin by hand "Pari amen Co and RaL- 


baus in Vienna (second pieoeF) Size 
27^41.^. Ort.pnial bought fot die 
Ftihrer from the properly of I l arLj- 
K-ilL'r, Jiiiishi LLek I.Ulii 1933)'' 

3. Vicnnet Partmmzn! {Y\ 3} 

Signed: r.b. "A. Hiller" 

Size: 20-41 3 cm, I he painting i^ 
framed and Ujider glanh. Si/.e of 
frame 32.3 X 67 cm. 

Annotations: versa r.b., manu¬ 
script, " Jt'ti I " 

PRICE ly 247 hi/e 27 - 41.6 cm 
UA‘ Negative 2c 2 L T I; 

NSDAP Central Archives record 
with annotations "made un basis 
of r e p i oduction Viennese 
original’ . 

6 Vitnna, AuerSjMfg Ptl!&C* (FI bi 
Tide: r.h., in gothic "Wien. Auers- 
l-kTu PibiLiis" Signed: J.b.. cursive 
" A.H .' 1 

SL/.v: 13 5X27 cm 

An iv i Li tii >n si veriO itliAUXI Ipt 

’ L'l >111 pi L'l L'| ? j 1 

PRICE n, 226. si rc Inx24 cm 
BA: Negative and positive NS 

2h ? I T Tt : \ s DAP i n i m I A rch e * 

record with -ni^L 1 1K 6 x 26. c . cm 
Particularity: On ihe lower left 

.gin In f.. of a figure pulling 

a small cart i'l :i small smud¬ 

ge of tijJLjur which is also reccigni- 
^■-lLsIl- on Llie photograph PRICE n. 
226), 

7 L I i-i-rrrrj, AUttSpttg Pu f I Fi-71 
Title: r.b. gothic, 1 rtuersperg I^l 
I nk" 

Signed: I b. guihii. a. Hitler" 

S i t. e: 20,3x27,6 cm (S lies- r 

21 X l R .31 

PRICE it, UK M/e I3x» cm, 

BA: Negative NS 2o 213/18; 

NS DAP .I Archives record 

vs J Lit M/e 2tL3 --2£ cm. 

S. L-h-rr^rj. Ralj-uMuti! lFi-f| 

Title: r.b "Alt - Wien/A11Cilatad 1 J ' 
Signed: Lb "A. Killer" 


Site: 22 <33.4 cm The painting i* 
framed :sn lL iimln ([OSS 
Si/e i>l Frame 4-3.5 - frit. 5 cm 

AruviKil hiiis: iL'isd, Hi.LllUM'i ipl 

'‘2341". 

4. Vienna, Kari&kirchi |FI4Jji 
Signed: r.b, utixlertifted M A, Hitler" 
Ske- 25.4, 17.5 cm nnd EuinnEa- 
[Iihns mi the existence of ;i negative 
m ZdGO 1 in the Central Archives of 
[he NSDAP fprocif no Icmgei avalla- 
Me in llie JJA.i 

111. Fi«HH 4 Bchonbiunn (FI-10) 
Title -inil 'iijrriiiKji i': l.h. _i^i >L1 1 i«., 
Wien J Sl hoitbru iincr Li nieJA lib 
I k-r ■ 

Size: L421.1 cm (Sheet l^xl i 

cm) 

Annotation*; Lower .pm il-.ii>. 

manuscript, "1-2 Gr, 1 ' 

FRIGE n, 1-BP, sl£c I&X2S cm- 
BA: Positive K5 26/21 (-14: s lamped 
on back NSDAP Central Archives 
with mdjeation 213/14 plui positi¬ 
ve ill re Ira with an oval :>L:miping 
difficuli to recognise, probably die 
mark ol i Kl- framer Samuel Mor¬ 
gen stem; KSDAF Central Archives 
record with size L4> 2(> cm. 

I 1. Vienna. t! I Ft-1 I > 

Title; l.b., gothic "wicn/ParadeEs* 

gartl - * 

Signed: i .b.. jn> l 111< , "A. Hltiei '. 

Si ts‘, 14 E < 19,5 cm (She*i 29 x J7.5 

l mi 

Ann* stations vers(.an uset i pc, 

"Lit! hi of passepartout [/small 
[48X32]" 

PRICE it. 2.53. no size. 

RA. Negative and positive NS 
2&/21V2Y Central Archives rejti- 
sler NSDAP with size 15 1 x 26.1 
cm i-L] i lI provenance ^Pmeer, 
Wien", 

PartiHibit^ iJil- la>c three loiters 
dl ihe title "Paradeist’artl 1 are co¬ 
vered by .i smudge., (The smudge is 


not visible on I lie photograph. (Il4 
linn translator's note) 

12 Vienna, Mlchticterplaiz (H43) 
TuLl-: r.b., gothic. "LMenlMJidu- 
elsrplililE. Drdfui.ifendial 1 1" 

Signed: Lb., gothic, "A. Hitler'* 

Si fK : 25.5 r IS viii. 

Observations; l lie pLcture m Its 
drum injj is almost identic a] to PRI¬ 
CE n. 173. I lie anomallea occur in 
the disposition ol the five figures 
in ihe stjitare in i ricirn <il the Mi 
vIi.l*-Ll LLi l hi.-, in lIil- lower win¬ 
dows of the hell lower in ihe *ba 
dow on die church and In llie two 
fig'll! res missing In mu the facade M 
tile bull tower which are seen in 

PRICE ft. 173. 

12. l 'ic-Mkr Barglhealer (FI-13) 

T i c I l-: rJb- gothic, "Wien-Buig- 
'['heater' 

Sium-d: l.b., gothic. ''A. Hiller" 
Size; 14,2x20ctn (Shed Ib.hsll.X 

tmj 

PRICE n. 270 siA- 2fr.5 X 3fr 

15 A: Negn l ivc (si eg M x 20 c in I mid 

positive NS 2[,.'2l3.-]5; 

NSDAP Central Archives record 
M-iiti si/r 4 i i khi rCCt) I R5 ■ 2fr.5 cm. 

L4. Vie fin. a, Burgtheater (Fl-14) 
Title: r.b, “Alt-WEen/Burgthcatei 
dh b upper Iiiil- of writing is paler) 
Signed: '"A- Hitler {or Hfttler?) 

Cut find pitted on psatcpartMtl 
recto, uich a fine pencil stroke, 

1 lO XI. Di: r: j i ! {coufJ perhaps tie 
read as " III-X.'De i 1 1"! 

15, V~h .j.-, .Sl 'he (FI-15) 

Title :inJ sfgnnEurc; “Wien Schil- 
tenkirche A. HLiLur" 

Sizm 21 x25 cm (Sheet 2 1 >.5>:3.YJ 
em) 

AiimuImI jurL-: (j:i iEil 1 |ilisnl'[j;ii Hint 
<m i he irtshle, in pencil "4 ^jE'" 
Obsen/atEorw: different from the 
minei patnlinp kn colour tedinj- 

que for die flat use (diffuse) oi ucli- 


re rojics at tire dominant eoloui. 
ihe figures :ire also striking being 
blppCT frnd more lull-, drawn than 
in Hitler** oilier w^atcr colours {It 

IS KMl 1 )Ctlm*S |XJ^hillk- 1 l> niakL- uUl 
tfieir faces). 

L£, Vienna, Kirehe Maria am Gesta- 
df (FI-16) 

Signed: l.b, "A. Hitler*' 

Lul and glued ■>■! P'aascpartmiit: 
27.2 X 13 cm 

PRICE ii. 2 H(?, si/L- 17 ■ 4.5 lio 
BA: N egut i™ NS' 213 / 21 , positive Ifl 
section NS 2-frivol I. *5 
NSDAP Central Archives record 
with 1 R\ 27.5 cm and indica¬ 
tion 'ii laM owner Pi uger. 

17. \Si,nk!t. flQjfbr&uhaut (FI 17j 
I ille: l,b "Munclie-n/kl IlufbriiiJ- 
ll;su-j' r 

Signed: t b, 'A- Illtler" 

S i / e: 21,3x25.3 urn (Shoe l 
32,2X45-Scm) 

PRLL Ei n. 3?I6. n-iih an emu m the 
Inscription; Size 21.4x23,3 lri; 
IndicuLitirb lliai ihe pEcturc dis.ip- 
pea red at ttn auction in 1S76. 

BA: Negative NN h*25 

I a. ifmn.4r. VikttteUenwurkt mil 

Peterskirehe (El-1 Sj 

Tiile: r.b, "Mu ik lien { Viktuelicn- 

iULiii;i. ■ Pecer-kLi^ he ■' 1914 " 

Signed: lb- "A. HuIlt - * 

Ni>v Iti.4 - .i 3.5 vim the- picture i?i 
mounted on paper and ^ritli tliis 
support glued on to cardboard 
FRICE n, 373 , siae 22 x 2 * cm 
BA: NSDAP Central Archive record 
wj i h i nd ic m ii mi i >1 i ieg; 11 i i e R I S2.' I; 
;Iil- negiici vl- no longer aval fable; si¬ 
re mu Indicated, 

L l J. Munich, Aiir■, Simdesami am 
P*l£1Sh<tT%I fl I-I9| 

I'Llfe; l.b. "MLiiKheiv'SliiULlLhiinn" 
Sfped r.b, 'A. Htller" 

L'u 1 1 in pAsscpajtou L: 35.2 >■ 25.4 ean; 
tlie picture is framed and under 






gfassi frame sire .&/ I i^. 1 cm. 
Annotations: l>ii retro ’’l-CliftO'" 
I'RICE n. 19-i. size 39 k 22 cm, 

BA: Negative NS 26/17®3; NiHAF 

Ct'llll'ldl A I'L'll J l HTS I'LLTJI'J With M^.L' 

26X39 an. provenance (false) 
" WcinmuHer" anti de se i i.pl Loo (fal¬ 
se) “Pfcterabergl IF 
20. AfrcKEcft, Akes Siandssaml £jnr 

Tiltc: v.b ‘' M ii nc h cn/SI:nudesMit'' 
Signed. J.h. "A. HiLler" 

Si re: Sheet 33.6 X 3a 7 on. 

Sheet kIuclL to opuruihlc passepar¬ 
tout. 

4. Eiumlnidvntii Lite nulltenlieJCy 
of indivldwtl paint lng» 

AIL IwL-nli wall.-: COlwiTS-oi LhsSi- 
viero E c ga c- y a re s i gmed with ifie na¬ 
me ol Hitler Si nee iiol only in lai- 
ter years but ever since Hitler l*- 
came Chancellor, Fake paintings in 
hiK name were In circulation, we 
have had la take into account Lite 

fact I Lull in t .. llisl-.’, we nu^liL 

have to examine old fakes, as is 
certainly the case with I I 3. 

Our ETC - SfLI r L-ll TV JLS i 111 fK-'llr'il tj I Ilf 

fact th-iu three of the paintings are 
I I'ajlicd ptld COtil J no! he (.ijJl j'il-J 

f FI 5. 8, 1 9) aiid two Ot lie rs :ir e 
glued t-u ill* passepartout su that it 
was impossible to examine iIjl- te- 
Lru- or establish the exact sire ol 

|]Jl |V;L:tlili[l|j hi I' l jt 1 lie xIiclE. 

As regards the problem ol (lie falsi¬ 
fications of Hiller's paintings il 
can In.- said., above all, dial this 
muni certainly be excluded when 
the painting wider examination Is 
found among the documents of lhe 
department created Lor Lhe collec¬ 
tion and regi vtraiEon of HElfer's 
paintings m the Central Archives 

ljF [ho NSDAF or at Hess":, HL-crL-la.- 
rlat, having there been judged |Q 
be authentic.. 


a further difficult) hangs .he 

fact i hat [lie only desc J'i pt ion of I be 
painting contained in iJ ti.-.’.l- docu¬ 
ment:, is in hli ffieienI Lo kLerUily ii 
hec;iLj>L- numerous ^ubjeeiM. espe¬ 
cially as regard* Vienna and Mu- 
n i eh, vi ere pui n I ed >ev e ra I r i n i e^ by 
iiltfcr, Certain piwf i ^. therefore, 
only po^nible where there c'nis.K a 
photograph and where lhe pain- 
ling is presented as authentic in 
i liu cpnraspoildcnce and iLsLhot lhe 
Central Archives of the NS DAP. 
Photographic documents of lhe 
Central Archive* ol live SSDAP 

Ir jj" [In.- following paintings 
vi ho se lUslh erU i cl i v l-h 15 therefore 
lie considered certain: l-'i 4, 5, e. 7. 
H>. II. 13, 16 mid 19. 

The indications contained m 
Price's cataEogue. on Lhe Olhei 
hand, warrant little credence stn- 
oB,oswE banc already said, iLu j > In 
elude recent falslficatiora by Ktt- 
Jau and do not differentiate ar all 
between genuine and dubious 
paintings (to lhe extent that the CJ>- 
ULlrnguc all: ibLUCh Lo Hirl-er the 
painting FL 3 which was declared 
to be Fake by lluler himself (PRI¬ 
CE n. 259). 

Combining (hi r ImIhj 1 piation contai¬ 
ned in lhe doc u merit * of the Cen¬ 
tral Archives of ih® N5DAP and va¬ 
rious clues 011 1 lie FldiLiuiiLLHirJgi- 
11 a Is. one l tin. however, decide hmi 
the Atiribu t fan of the remaining 

ptiinUng-^ even thniugfL Lhece 1 l- 
maiiih i'lkjjii for diseussron on the 
degree of certaintj ill individual 
L-avex. 

The isulhfulidtj of liie palrUipgs 
FL 1 and FL 2 i*- certified beyond 
doubt by [lie handwritten observA- 
1 irvri tc. eerttihily authentic, and Lui- 
Lialled by lhe I hen WL’n-hsiiini !-lei- 
ter SLlioiio-SEauihauh. the hist per¬ 
son I'espnri.!'iblo Ilj: die collection 
of Hitler's paintings at lhe secreta 


riat of Hess (a topv of the signatu¬ 
re ol & I ■ li 1 1 l -Si c _lc h lsu>- is attached 
as Enclosure Eh Furihei tJie au- 
lIi^iii icily of l'l 2 iai'-n proved L>v 
us sulije: [ according lu Enclosure* 
A and t' (respeciiveSly rmv ie. mid 
17) and dial of E : l 1 according 10 
Enclosure Cfrt ‘i:- 
TIil- idL-olliy of the two FEorentine 
paintings with [hose cited ill die 
fists of the Central ArcFdves ol the 
'tSDAP L-Liiiiujt Lil- d:>LLL>[e^l. above 
all because iri the IWO lists lliesLib- 
iLs-is f'Kolilmarkt. Mieliaelekir- 
ehe. Dncilauferhams 1 ami Schotten- 

mr'l ix lllj' only once, and as re- 
ganls n in ol t'.m Ensure A (corre¬ 
sponding iij FT 3 Sdicrttcmtor) :He 
previous owner JX indicated a^ Pra- 
ger h i 111 se 11 In 1 In - 1 .^'l-umlI in 
Enelosm e A lhe [e-piirehase [hue 
:s established as. Auguat- 

Scptcmbcr 193 A ^1 ■ nl ihe .. 

tlon by Schulte-Strathaus carried 
the date 17.A.. 1 18 

The annotation esl forgery on lhe 
retro of l-i 1 m undoubtedly nu- 
iIil-chil-. \ -l-i 1 il for lhe tdenDificH- 
tlon of Ka ii Wolff's signature I 
must rely ert tire!J on my momoiy 

ah ir wav no I ptjvsjbk' to h 1 In 1.. 

Ltijii 111 LTcik-i In compare l lit-m 
However., l h i s proves tliat lhe pain- 
ting -l forgery, and stylistically, 

too, il [hil<'[ S Lllo Vt.lL^I' nh 

lours ^liIl-Iv aLIribulLihle 10 Hitler. 
A-, ncgaiLix dvesuhjoql ai the " Rat- 
rcnslakltT tjI [he pfiiming FI S. P: L- 
ec's catalogue gives four ljiLnt 
r 1 tl; 1111 |'iI t-:, ol which at least one 
(PRICE n. Zlvi, once in die pastes 
Sion of Hitler's photographer and 
confident EkinHdl ilcifJ iiimiii, 
may saEefv be considered atltliett- 
lie. Yei l-vuii il the same subject 
C3Sfl Ik 1 found In HII iiL- 1 - works hv Hi- 
ikr 1 h l:c i^ no historical proof o( 
the attribution to Hitler od E l 8. Ill 
l hi s cane ah eoL ute cettAhlly could 



(mlv Ih' iliilIillL through chcmtco* 
technical analysis fifid ^i \ Ii^t i l- rv 
search- However, starling from 
our knowledge nil the Style of the 
li Li r h L i i l i l paintings, nothing, at 
firsi glance goes against tbraitri* 
bul ii m to I lirU-:- of i lu^ painting. 

I I i l 1 11 li »i!l ut the Viennese Karls* 
ktlL'llL 1 11 1 4| i'- dOCUlf... . 14 Li¬ 

nk's in PRICE and is llvus the sub* 
jcct ntosi dI k'M palmed by Hiller. 
Tin- source tjitd by PRICE i'i «■ It I 
(Dr. Mefcaek) and is convalidatcd 
rliL- indications ol the Central 
Archives (It I III- NSDAP. live 11 
i Ih jugh the phoEOf: naph is no Ujji^ci 
traceable in ibe i■'■alertI Archives 
tl r 1 can considei Lliisi painting au¬ 
thentic on a basis of iIil'm- Indica¬ 
tions hni also because of its style. 
Very pro baby I"1 9 corresponds t-= j 
painting n. 1Z <4 Enclosure A. the 

only paif of tlie Karkkirche by 

Hitter that could have been re¬ 
purchased by the Hi-s-- secretariat 
i ] 934) aii lI cooisequetally iegistei vd 
in ilit- Central Archives of the 
KSDAP 

1st [hecase of Ft L4 l- can indy ma■ 
kc a few sttppO^Mons a* regards 
its author. tl 14. like I I 13, l*3tu> 

IflCi p.ting of the SurEthcalcr, a 

motif listed five time* by PRICE. 
Th l- abbreviation " De' ' musi surely 
refer to Detlg jl surname which 
can, in ilk turn, be bribed to the 
Central An hives of the \5l>AP or 
rather Eo the Hess secretariat. In 

ihr List ill Alfred Detig s collect. 

(see Enclosure U) FI 14does run in.- 
cur. Bui this is explainable ii one 
ijii'. r 11 i Li h tin.- date written ■ m i the 
p;iwp-.trli>iii AS the date of purcha¬ 
se The rm i lur which e I ih- pre- 
viou* ownership ol IX-iiy might be 
considered lI(miIiiIl]| can only be 

r' LlI [JL'Ld I b nI Ll.L ll kU pgii =■*■ i I if Ilk II 

one consider* the date 

Octoben 1 K ovc mber 1 $ 4 I as iJ-il- lI.l 


te of purchase by the Hess secrcta- 
rial (ur to be more precise, by li<►r - 
ntaatt) in that case the painting re¬ 
gistered as n- in Enclosure £■' 
LamiihL correspond to FI 14 tii/tcc 
this list (Enclosure Q was compi¬ 
led in 1939 l< is much more pt Q&a 
big [ I ul[ il refers to E : l 13. li pain¬ 
ting rhu( was reproduced i™ MmI 

breach ‘'ft.. copy of unknown 

provenance", on pltOEOgffipic pa* 
pn und coloured by hand (cl En¬ 
closure C) Sluice in the case Fl 
13 we have not been able to esta¬ 
blish whether It was painted on 
photographic paper, this ifidka 
tion explains .lL least the iitesaclv- 
ludeof the sire Indicated on the re¬ 
gister of tlir Central Archives I lie 
...I FI 14 can be ma¬ 
de with certainty only by chemical 
and stylistic analysis. From a Firslj 
even superficial, styllslte eomparb 
i*jii there in no notable difference 

between tins and authenticated 
paintings, to i hiii iv L - can consider 
n, with some reservations, aiiihen- 
r i L. 

The subject of FI 15, the SkcHtcn- 
kitalic, cited twice in the PRICE 
catakigiyte, is ■ il jt documentated in 
the Central Archives of the 
EysDAP. Fui iIil j , ii does not corre¬ 
spond Stylistically to Hitler's other 
vuNrkk because nil llir monotone 
use i hi i in- li >1 1 hi i r ochre. The figu¬ 
res in the foreground, inu. Have l-m- 
rriL 1 (ilji bigger. Even allowing ior 
the fact Lira i in this CASS Hitler 
iiie^:I n Have wanted to moke an ev 
peri merit with the colours lili lIk- 
figures, the convergence of both 

EI M L hr' sLvMMlL' LIJlLJl tlLI I i CS BE Well BE 

the similarity of thecolours to iHli- 
ht- l?I rlK- forgery E r l 3 suggest that 
(ins pnmlnig. UJO. is ^1 lilKC. 

The c LV-.L- of T 1 K Lr, pin ible 11 ull i L LI I, 

A painting which, masfiar m- one 
CLin make iilji given the |H>m l| u lh] i ■ 


ty i i-l the reproduction i* identical 
ilj PRICE n. 373. Il k not pOSSibEe 
to say with certainty whether the 
rEpistraiiort conserved in the FllL- 
r.i I Archives, which refers to a fie 
gOiivt li L In si In tin.- Central 
AichitL'*. l 4 llic S^HAF', iL-ulb Zij> 
pertains UJ FI IS because oJ the 
Lack of 11 tcLi i L'mcri i \ u I i he p I idtt i ■ 
gi nLpfi. FurtI ■ l-e difficultiea li r i 
I nun the registratjan in Enclosure 
D which ijm'J'.-i die indication l$2H 
refers to a pai/iliiig in (nI\ h 111 ^i h id 
■... i r li h i u i due usual an not at ion on si¬ 
ze. in Uii^ case, however, ii may be 
supposed ihL'i ihc compilfl i>l iE:l- 
11*| committed .l material error. 
misNiking il 11rLL 1 when iiiliim. 1 iIvi11p 
lIil duLa df ihv pictures l 'Viktua 
UenmArkt u Pi lc i >kirchfi" r ' LVi 
Abend", "Sehljersee”, and "Kn- 
chel' 1 - Actually, in Enclosure D this 
lavr pnliMing ik l1l'Iuil'(J li water 
colour alihnjugh iL is oil*of H 11 1l- i'\ 

few ml p.. As regards Uil- 

very dilfcrcfil size <il El |SjLkgivL':i 
mi PRICE ii- 373.. It should be noted 
lIiuL luiL of lH Icli-I li lI(i^ltl 
where Pklf 'F could Ii.lI'l- checked, 
he ghw incorrect measwrements 
four riroL'k (PRICE rn»s 226 . Z7b. 

]8 £ t, J^Ji. EIciill-, in ihi-. 1 .LISL-, top. 
l lie problem ol authcirticily most 
be ilmjIli-lJ by .ui analysis o( the 
si > le. Onr cvi ii'iJmIilm i i ev l-.i I l l 3 no 
significant diifcrcticcs of style ih 
respect ol lliL' limLI k-Ill k ;l?ll 1 pLiill- 
tings. 

In the ense ol Llw last painting, too, 
l '] 20 . in i he absence cf other ertte- 
i la. i III- problem of nudient iecEy 
xiiri (inU Ijl' resolved by MLylikiiL 
atiLilyki-’. And in ilu-n l ;i-,l', n:n, « l. 
discovered no ditTercoccs frcm iIlc 
auiheeti seated polntlnfs. 

5, Conclusions 

As fai as can he esLiiblished by one 



not ail expert in m l history I In 1 

Lb I L L 11 '■. J-.-L- lL , IXjLh Lhe CXL'Cp- 

licmofl'I 3 Lind FI 15, constitute a 
Stylistic unhy which i s not dda- 
dWd IVihii QUICK W&tCI L t>li>Uf^ by 
Hitler known tome Ten p-ji-i tiling'; 
(FI 4 . 5 , fc. 7 10 . I I, 13 , 16 , 1 ?) ore 
klentifyabk rhthe pho40» 
graphs in Ihu Central Archives ol 
the MSMP. They are i^-L-irji.iiLi-.L-il lis 
authentic lhruuiih their regtaira* 
lion in what was conceited as li 
ij< j 11 ll l i-Li-ii e enl re lor Elilleriun 

p.tings; Mil- experts of the 

N5DAP had the possibility. In 
duubllLi] l Li hl- s. of referring to Hi* 
tier himself ■ Tin- same recognition 
of authenticity cm also be attrilm- 
it'd to the vvatci colours E l L and Jh 
2 , iniiSolled by ihe perwn rcspwsi- 
lik- in Hcss's secretarial, SchulUv 
Strathatis. 

The pLiimingv ol dubious ;nii hen I i 
oi e v, FI $, 0, 12, 14, Ui, 20 have nub- 
j-L-cc s which are all found elsewhere 
in Hniur'h work Lind ill part also in 
the ^li w.-ri rriLTi: s nl i IhL* Central Ar- 
chives ol I he 

Even if [Iil analogy of subject mat* 
icr iloi's i mu constitute e guarantee 
Sgainst Forgery, il renders a slyli- 
Stic comparison and the identifica¬ 
tion of forgeries easier Forgeri.es 
may also be eliminated by use lj!" 
the Following argument: the capita 
ac [ho official diSpOsiUoft of file 
Cent r:iI Ar l-1 1 i\ ls of che I^SDAP by 
painters have tn part been execih 
Kid cm water colour paper and in 
pin t on photographic paper. When 
copies were riindc id pam-nnus. Out 
securely authenticated I bey were 
ilunc will.. exception on photo¬ 

graphic paper (cf. Enclosures C 
and Fli and tills ta not i hu ca&e wil h 
any of the Floreathie nnJflfiDgS. 

To conclude, 12 oJ [lie pain Lings 
examined can Ik 1 direct 1y linked to 


I he Central Archives «■ 1 I he 
NSDAFl among the remaining se¬ 
ven water colours those which cor 
respond ro numbers FI tf. 9, LJ. IS 

sheav S.. Ii;il-l of L-llL-Lkilip (III 

i he part of ihiv organ fiat inn or sii- 
me Lit her cunlacL with it. Tlmn only 
paint mils FI 12 jlmlI PL 20 remain 
isolaLcu. 

II || 1 L rSjlJTQI I of a I Ill(jst all lliL- 

paintings deposited in FI arc nee 
with the Central Archives of the 
NSDAP, or rtJhsr with I he E i-e-^ s se¬ 
cretarial constitutes* on die one 
l m i mJ a gnu rente® of authenticity, 11 
also, on I he other handj permits 
Lhc supposition [Mac Lhv twenty 
palming* ended up In dm hand* of 
Sivierosis a h ingle package, Lind ex- 
L-luLlt-b the possibility lIillc he col¬ 
lected ihcm from dilferenl sour* 
ll l ,. This conclusion agrees with 
wltai I liav v heard from Ur. August 
P l ie sack whu in his day was il- 
spcmslble for pliotograpiilc l-< i]? il 1 
of Hitler's palm Engs in lhc Ccnlml 
Archive ui Lhe N5DAP and w liu can 

LI IV®. Ih- L-ui i s i detail [ I It- L-u aul Eli hr ■: 11 

lhc FEU CL catalogue. 

According to ibis information Sj- 
vicro received (he twenty paintings 
from Mrs Gerda Borman n who w.i^ 
m (he Alto Aili^c.' li i die end of dm 
war and died a I Man no in March 
194fr. Cerda Bui'illaOil (i as I IlL* (i it l- 

i>l Hess's successor party mini¬ 
ster. Marlin Bormann. A;i such he 
yvlis respmslbtc for ail the l inIIliIk> 
ralurt lhc party office, lhc for¬ 
mer licereLariai oFHls^, 

Already In floss's time lmi also af¬ 
terwards an hK successor und as 
secretary to the FuEuvr, Bamuuui 
ws m ranee rued i ri fll I E1 i 11 l- rpr i l :s- 
tv ullaits. He was certainly up to 
du ie i in tlie collection of paintings 
by Htiler in Lhe ponnessivii of the 
KSDAPand l l ■ i s fi proved by aiiL>Lf 


h 1 1 Himmler's dated 27 10,1942, In 

Ll UllL- IL-Llds: 

"The thrce waI e r colours suppi i --ed 
to bL- l>^ du- Fubre-r's hand; Wien, 
f lerligEm kre i Izerh o f, Wbert, K-ihj 
nitzheig. Das Bathaus, were today 
destroyed bv my orders following 
information received From the 

FiiIitl-i- i\l ii[ sv iI ll Il-Ul-: id Reichs- 

leiler DormaPn, 24^1 1942) 1 ' ;Smir 
Cf. BA, 1 L ? tLlu '241 i. 

S:i even during Llie xe jiHitler Con 
tinned to concern himseli with the 
ftuthenticiiy of ih L ' painting pul in 
Lu circulation in his name am.l re¬ 
purchased Eni (In- KSDAP. Bl>i • 
manri ^Las certainly infurrUSd Ort 
Lhu existence id liIhjui thirty poin¬ 
tings which, according (o Dr. hi® 
sLick. were in lhc end collected, oil 
il lL ' more su since this collection 
was kap; in his offices probably in 
the immediate vicinity of his room 
The fact ..lu' ..Ings^ or sm 

me of Lhc in. can ll- 1 1- lie L;i I ha 

hands ul Mrs Bo mu.ccaikms 

no surprise Siviero probably (in'; 
^L■-■M. L d lJil- ^luiil- in1'.frrnation ns 
Priesack and passed the informa¬ 
tion iin by loiter Us lhe Gcrmnil hi¬ 
storian Dr. BLjh.itL- irl Krefeld, li 

..hi therefore li? possible UJ III- 

ll this information among his pa¬ 

nel 

Ll fi v-l l i-v probable that all Iwcltty 
|iaLtuLti^h come From llie He¬ 
ard Lina t colleciiort and then from 
ERirmann. It is also possible and Iu- 
t'.i l'liI dial such paintings passed 
Irom du- i ir"<.-n secreurlat ii> R(u- 
maim and from him to his wife Lind 
ihu., (.aLiiu Lu $iiiera in 11Lily. Thin 
Ilk t together with iEn- stylistic si 
in iI li lilies between the pictures, re- 
tti;mliable oven m ;■ iu^-expcri 
and [heir lull eccordarscc uilli 
other works In Elirk-J already 
knL>wn to iik l . leave me i:i no lI • m l>i 



7 9 


iIul’ .li least Itf of the 1 1;ii 11 ci1 1 paintings It be affirmed that nSch between l^l* :uid Autin^i 

from the Sltil tu Iljj.ll> can be at- E] Liter painted pictures ol Vienna 1^14. 
tributes! to IlitHet 1 - around l lit.- period between I ^ K 1 

Finally, as regards the dated iIII- atid May 1913 and ibt.. Mu Munich I9S.I9S4 



Prilled in julj I 9M by 

Graf i .1 * II OardijHi ■ S Andrea a Ruvozi no - I..