Nazi Stolen Art Story in Headlines

Here are a few headlines that are representative of the scores published in 2008.

Russians Reveal Hoard of 46,000 Art Treasures Stolen by Nazis
Nazi Looted Painting Recovered at Christie’s
Stolen Art on Display in a Search for Owners

Hemingway believed there was more truth in fiction than in nonfiction. And doing research for my book about Nazi stolen art I became convinced that he was right, and the novel was one way to expose the illicit underground art market.

Excerpt from The Goring Collection

Berlin, Germany
1941

‘Jacob was six years old and his sister Natalie a year younger, when they stood on the windswept platform at Berlin Station and waved enthusiastically while their parents boarded the train. Jonathan and Anna Meyers had told the children they were off on a business trip to Switzerland, and they would meet them later in Rostock. The trip was precipitated when Jonathan’s friend, Fritz Heimann, while working at the Reich Chancellery saw the names Jonathan and Anna Meyers on a list stamped JEWS for DEPORTATION.

However, the news was not all bad as he noticed that, for some unknown reason, Jacob and Natalie were not named in the document and in that instant he saw a way to save the children. Fritz Heimann urged his friend to leave them in his care, explaining that he would take them to his family home in Rostock.

Jonathan Meyers was reluctant at first but eventually recognized the gravity of the situation, consulted with his wife Anna and they agreed to go along with Heimann’s plan. Jonathan sold off some of his merchandise, which included one of the finest collections of rare books, old coins and paintings in Berlin. Then he packaged his cherished Pissarro painting, The Cliff’s of Normandy, and shipped it off to Rostock.

Once the elder Meyers’ train rolled out of Berlin Station Fritz Heimann leaned on his cane and gestured. "Come along children, we must hurry, our train leaves soon."

Jacob and Natalie skipped along the platform as they made their way to the other track, and boarded the Rostock Express that would take them north to the city by the sea. During that trip north the children’s questions never ceased. When will Mama and Papa come? Where will we live? Who will we be staying with? Fritz Heimann explained that they would be living at his family home and then in a very serious tone, he admonished, “For now you must address me as your father. Do you understand?”

It was obvious, from the looks on their innocent faces that the children did not understand. However, a few moments later a mischievous grin spread over Jacob’s face as he decided to play the game. “Yes, Papa.”

Jacob and Natalie lived out the war years in Rostock as Fritz Heimann’s children. Their father’s Pissarro hung on the living room wall and became a larger than life beacon of hope, for the youngsters, which helped to sustain the memory of their parents. But near the end of the war that symbol was shattered when a Nazi Special Detail came and took the painting away.

At the end of the war, with Jacob and Natalie still expecting their parents to come home Fritz Heimann finally told them exactly what had happened. “Your mother and father died at the concentration camp at Buchenwald.” Jacob’s shock at hearing the truth led him to believe that Fritz Heimann was telling a cruel joke, but Natalie recognized it for what it was and wept for days. Eventually Jacob’s questions were answered and over a period of time by using physical activities and studies, as a diversion, the hurt he felt at the loss of his parents began to wane.’

(To be continued)

Writers Notebook:
A Case for the lowly postcard

Postcards are not just for mailing. They are a great throw away piece and I believe they are as good or in some cases better than the bookmark or business card.

Make them up with a glossy front featuring your book cover or covers, then add point of purchase such as bookstores, Amazon, Barnes & Noble as well as your contact information. Your website address is a must and add your blog if you have one.

Backside left half print catch phrases or blurbs about your books, but don’t clutter by using too much copy.

You can also tell the printer to leave the backside blank, that way you can run off small batches on your printer for special occasions. Or you can just leave it blank for personalized handwritten notes and autographs.

If you don’t have a favorite printer you might try gotprint.com for a quote. They print good quality cards and are inexpensive.

Tom Barnes -- Actor, Writer and Hurricane Hunter.
Check out my website for books, blogs, western legends, a literary icon, reviews and interviews. Also my novels The Goring Collection and Doc Holliday’s Road to Tombstone along with a non fiction remembrance of The Hurricane Hunters and Lost in the Bermuda Triangle.

www.tombarnes39.com
www.RocktheTower.com