SOCIAL SCIENCES

Hitler's Art Thief: Hildebrand Gurlitt, the Nazis, and the Looting of Europe's Treasures

by Susan Ronald
St. Martin's. Sept. 2015. 400p. photos. notes. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781250061096. $27.99; ebk. ISBN 9781466866829. CRIME
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In 2013, more than 1,400 pieces of art were discovered in the modest Munich apartment of 80-year-old Cornelius Gurlitt, son of Hitler's "art dealer" Hildebrand Gurlitt. The art was valued at more than $1.35 billion, but to the reclusive Cornelius, they weren't just paintings—they were "friends." For victims of the greatest art heist in history, however, they were stolen tokens of the Third Reich. Ronald (The Pirate Queen) provides a remarkably comprehensive telling of the Nazi's massive looting of treasured artworks and the pivotal role the Gurlitts played. Although considered Hitler's art dealer, Hildebrand is best described in the book's title. Ronald's narrative follows Hildebrand from student to thief and eventually finds its end in Cornelius's mysterious apartment.
VERDICT There are countless works related to Nazi Germany, but Ronald's account provides an additional layer of knowledge that's worth adding to your collection. Readers will gain a larger understanding of how art threads through society, what it means when those threads are unraveled, and the tragic effects of having your culture stolen and repurposed. They aren't just paintings, indeed. [See Prepub Alert, 4/20/15.]
Reviewed by Erin Entrada Kelly, Philadelphia , Sep 01, 2015
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