Recovery of Looted Art in Berchtesgaden 1945

Description

Recovery of looted art in Berchtesgaden 1945; Photo; Licensed article; Original: 5740×4315; Photographer: Unknown;a0 Licensable; Rights: a9 Bleek/zb Media. The photo shows the recovery of looted art from Hermann Göring’s collection by the US Army and the Monuments Men in Berchtesgaden in June 1945.
US soldiers carry paintings, sculptures, and artifacts to a truck to secure and transport them.
Harry Anderson, an officer of the Monuments Men, who were responsible for protecting and returning stolen art, is also visible in the picture.
The paintings, altars, and sculptures were found in a freight train and more in a tunnel at the Untersberg, in the former Führer’s restricted area Obersalzberg.
The artworks originate from Hermann Göring’s private collection, who had looted works across Europe en masse. The recovery was part of the restitution of stolen cultural goods after World War II. From Berchtesgaden, they were brought to the Central Collecting Point in Munich.
The photo documents the rescue of significant artworks looted by the Nazis and the role of the Monuments Men in preserving European cultural heritage.