Monuments Men History

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Monuments Men (both the movie and the actual historical event) is set during World War 2, when the Nazi’s are stealing countless peices of precious artwork and hiding them away in secret locations. For this reason, a group of 345 men and women from 13 nations who are all historians, architects, and experts on the topic of art, are gathered together to recover stolen artworks. Since Hitler ordered the artwork be destroyed, the men and women must work together as fast as possible in order to save as many pieces in the time allowed. When art is discussed, either in context to the Monuments Men group or not, it is referred to as the basis of the culture of our society. Art illuminates our inner lives and enriches our emotional world. The value …show more content…

Without out art people would not understand the past and be able to learn from their mistakes. As stated by Frank Stokes in the Monuments Men movie, “You can wipe out an entire generation, you can burn their homes to the ground and somehow they'll still find their way back. But if you destroy their history, you destroy their achievements and it's as if they never existed. That's what Hitler wants and that's exactly what we are fighting for,” (Stokes). By allowing people to understand just how precious art is, they are able to see the significance and how without it they would not be here today. The excerpt also shows that you can take away everything from people and they can still manage to rebuild and live one, but without art it's like they never existed. This journey that the Monuments Men went on in 1943, was crucial in the development of culture in Europe. Some of the artwork that was stolen included The Ghent Altarpiece and The Bruges Madonna, created by two of the greatest artists of the Renaissance; Hubert and Michelangelo. These world renowned pieces would have been destroyed if it were not for the perilous journey of the Monuments Men. These artworks helped to shape the culture of Europe and the United States into what it is today. The artwork recovered was invaluable, making the cost of it worth more than a human life, proved in the paramount expedition of the Monuments

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