The Monuments Men book is set in Nazi Europe and tells the tale of a little known US Army unit. This unit, known as the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives section is given special orders delivered straight from President Roosevelt by way of General Eisenhower himself, to protect the cultural artifacts that were made vulnerable by the war coursing around them. The soldiers who formed this select group were known as, "The Monuments Men."
The unit was set up by President Roosevelt and General Eisenhower after concerns were raised by world powers and those with an interest in artistic and cultural patrimony were alarmed at the loss of priceless pieces of art and monuments. Hitler had been destroying irreplaceable works that his party deemed to be "degenerate". They were also pilfering works from museums, galleries and archives throughout Europe.
Almost everyone knows of the human rights atrocities of the Nazis, but this parallel destruction of cultural patrimony is an often neglected area. This story brings to life on the page the brave efforts of archivists, curators and educators, among others, who formed a part of the unit. It is thanks to their efforts that a lot of priceless art or monuments were saved.
This incredible book is written by Robert M Edsel and co-written with Brett Witter. Robert Edsel became fascinated by this chapter in European war time history after quitting his job in mining and oil in the USA and moving to Florence, Italy. The catalyst for the book came from visiting the many museums over Italy and wondering what had happened to them during the World Wars.
The unit was made up of both men and women who came from several nations and were drawn from professions ranging from education to museum curators and archivists. Risking their lives for our cultural heritage, these war time treasure hunters were engaged in a race against the clock with the bomb-riddled Europe nipping and their heels. With only their steadfast belief in the importance of their actions to sustain them, they achieved great things.
The unit was created and active for the last 11 months of the war. During that time they went undercover all over Europe on a giant treasure hunt with the clock and the odds against them. The picked up on clues, followed leads and successfully saved a lot of artwork and other cultural artifacts from being lost.
The movie is based on the book and closely follows the excitement of the original tale. It stars an incredible cast that includes Matt Damon and Cate Blanchett. It has been distributed by Columbia Pictures with 20th Century Fox and will be released in 2014.
If you are looking for a thrilling tale that is intertwined with an often unexplored aspect of history, then the Monuments Men book is for you. History lovers, adventure buffs and lovers of a good, edge of your seat, story will be more than satisfied with this offering. Look out for it now.
The unit was set up by President Roosevelt and General Eisenhower after concerns were raised by world powers and those with an interest in artistic and cultural patrimony were alarmed at the loss of priceless pieces of art and monuments. Hitler had been destroying irreplaceable works that his party deemed to be "degenerate". They were also pilfering works from museums, galleries and archives throughout Europe.
Almost everyone knows of the human rights atrocities of the Nazis, but this parallel destruction of cultural patrimony is an often neglected area. This story brings to life on the page the brave efforts of archivists, curators and educators, among others, who formed a part of the unit. It is thanks to their efforts that a lot of priceless art or monuments were saved.
This incredible book is written by Robert M Edsel and co-written with Brett Witter. Robert Edsel became fascinated by this chapter in European war time history after quitting his job in mining and oil in the USA and moving to Florence, Italy. The catalyst for the book came from visiting the many museums over Italy and wondering what had happened to them during the World Wars.
The unit was made up of both men and women who came from several nations and were drawn from professions ranging from education to museum curators and archivists. Risking their lives for our cultural heritage, these war time treasure hunters were engaged in a race against the clock with the bomb-riddled Europe nipping and their heels. With only their steadfast belief in the importance of their actions to sustain them, they achieved great things.
The unit was created and active for the last 11 months of the war. During that time they went undercover all over Europe on a giant treasure hunt with the clock and the odds against them. The picked up on clues, followed leads and successfully saved a lot of artwork and other cultural artifacts from being lost.
The movie is based on the book and closely follows the excitement of the original tale. It stars an incredible cast that includes Matt Damon and Cate Blanchett. It has been distributed by Columbia Pictures with 20th Century Fox and will be released in 2014.
If you are looking for a thrilling tale that is intertwined with an often unexplored aspect of history, then the Monuments Men book is for you. History lovers, adventure buffs and lovers of a good, edge of your seat, story will be more than satisfied with this offering. Look out for it now.
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