The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History

By Robert M. Edsel. New York: Center Street, 2009. xvi, 473 pp., [16] p. of plates: ill. $26.99. ISBN 9781599951492.

When we think of casualties of war, what comes to mind? World War II invokes images of human suffering and massive military action. Most people would not give a passing thought to art as a potential casualty of war. One reason the preservation of European art and monuments during World War II may be a foregone conclusion is because the story heretofore has been untold. The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History shares the story of the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives (MFAA) operation that worked to preserve European cultural works during World War II.

The Monuments Men describes the activities of a small Allied operation composed of fifteen men serving throughout Europe. Their mission was to “inspect and preserve every important monument the Allied Forces encountered between the English Channel and Berlin.” (65) As the Monuments Men would discover, many cultural items had been displaced. Part of their evolving mission would be tracking down stolen art and artifacts that the Nazis systematically looted from all over Europe. Once the Allies began to push the Nazis back to Germany, the Monuments Men had to race against time as the crumbling Third Reich sought to destroy hidden art and cultural monuments before the Allies could reclaim them. Yet cultural items were not only in danger of loss due to Nazi activities—they were also at risk from the Allied Forces, art dealers, looters, weather conditions, and other influential crises of an armed conflict.

In many ways, the great strength of The Monuments Men is that the story of the MFAA is finally shared with the world. Edsel does an outstanding job weaving together the different MFAA experiences into a cohesive story. The MFAA members were scattered throughout Europe, working alone or in pairs. Despite this isolation, lack of supplies and support, and a difficult mission, the MFAA persevered. The Monuments Men makes this team’s passion for their task clear. Edsel uses MFAA personal correspondence to vividly illustrate how the men felt about their mission and the realities of their circumstances. This captures the essential quality of the Monuments Man—absolute belief that preservation of cultural objects was necessary for the good of society.

The Monuments Men shows how a handful of people during World War II saved much of the Western World’s cultural heritage from destruction. There are far more details Edsel could share, especially regarding post-discovery operations. However, Edsel acknowledges that he did not attempt to document everything. Rather, he showed that the operation existed and that fine arts and cultural monuments could be spared even in times of war.

The Monuments Men tells a history that few people would hear of but for this book. Edsel answers the questions of how and why these treasures survived World War II. Without The Monuments Men, most people would take for granted that these cultural items still are with us today. The Monuments Men shows not only what a lasting impact the work of a few can have on so many, but also that preserving cultural objects is critical to preserving our humanity.

Cara M. Huwieler, University of Tennessee