Monuments Men veteran not surprised by resurfacing of Nazi-seized art
- 10 years ago
Harry Ettlinger lives in a quiet retirement community these days.
But back in 1945, he was part an allied forces team called "Monuments Men" who were tasked with returning looted art to its rightful owners at the end of World War Two.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) HARRY ETTLINGER, PREVIOUS MEMBER OF THE MONUMENTS MEN, SAYING:
"We should not take things. We should return them to the rightful owner."
He was not surprised when news of a hidden trove of Nazi-looted art in Munich was found this month.
Because decades ago, at the same time their operation was being shut down, they were forced to return some recovered art to known Nazi dealers who had owned the pieces before the war.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) HARRY ETTLINGER, PREVIOUS MEMBER OF THE MONUMENTS MEN, SAYING:
"Because the opinions of the Monuments Men, when I served with them, (was) that there probably are three-quarter of a million valuable paintings out there, and art treasures out there in the worl
But back in 1945, he was part an allied forces team called "Monuments Men" who were tasked with returning looted art to its rightful owners at the end of World War Two.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) HARRY ETTLINGER, PREVIOUS MEMBER OF THE MONUMENTS MEN, SAYING:
"We should not take things. We should return them to the rightful owner."
He was not surprised when news of a hidden trove of Nazi-looted art in Munich was found this month.
Because decades ago, at the same time their operation was being shut down, they were forced to return some recovered art to known Nazi dealers who had owned the pieces before the war.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) HARRY ETTLINGER, PREVIOUS MEMBER OF THE MONUMENTS MEN, SAYING:
"Because the opinions of the Monuments Men, when I served with them, (was) that there probably are three-quarter of a million valuable paintings out there, and art treasures out there in the worl