Wiesbaden manifesto
Encyclopedia
A book The Safekeepers: Memoir of the Arts at the End of World War II by former Capt. Walter I. Farmer of the Army Corps of Engineers during World War II, chronicles the recovery of and restitution of discovered hidden loot of the Nazi plunder
, that were stolen from museums, private collections and libraries and individual Jewish emigrants and death camp prisoners.
The Allies created special commissions, such as the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives (MFAA) organization to help protect famous European monuments from destruction, and after the war, to travel to territories previously occupied by the Germans to find Nazi art repositories. Wiesbaden
Germany
stored, identified, and restituted approximately 700,000 individual objects including paintings and sculptures. The allies found these plundered artworks in over 1,050 repositories in Germany and Austria
at the end of World War II
.
In summer 1945, Capt. Walter Farmer became the collecting point's first director. The first shipment of artworks arriving at Wiesbaden included cases of antiquities, Egyptian art, Islamic artifacts, and paintings from the Kaiser Friedrich Museum. The collecting point also received materials from the Reichsbank
and Nazi looted Polish
liturgical collections. At its height, Wiesbaden stored, identified, and restituted approximately 700,000 individual objects including paintings and sculptures, mainly to keep in away from the Soviet Army
and wartime reparations.
His superiors ordered that he send back to the U.S. 202 paintings in his custody, Capt. Farmer and 35 other that were in charge of the Wiesbaden collection point gathered to draw up what has become known as the Wiesbaden Manifesto on November 7, 1945, declaring "We wish to state that, from our own knowledge, no historical grievance will rankle so long or be the cause of so much justified bitterness as the removal for any reason of a part of the heritage of any nation even if that heritage may be interpreted as a prize of war." Among the co-signers was Lieutenant Charles Percy Parkhurst
in the U.S. Navy.
After three years of debate, U.S. President Harry S. Truman
ordered that the paintings be returned to Germany in 1948.
In 1996, the German government honored Mr. Farmer with the crimson Commander's Cross of the Federal Order of Merit.
Mr. Farmer died 11 August 1997 at the age of 86 at Christ Hospital in Cincinnati. The cause was cancer, said his daughter, Margaret Farmer Planton.
Mr. Farmer was born in Alliance, Ohio
, and received bachelor's degrees in mathematics and architecture from Miami University
in Oxford, Ohio. He went on to be active also as a genealogist and was prominent in the museum field in Ohio and Texas.
His marriages to Josselyn Liszniewska and to Renate Hobirk ended in divorce.
In addition to his daughter, who lives in Chillicothe, Ohio
, he is survived by two grandsons; a sister, Evelyn Krickbaum of Sidney, Ohio.
Nazi plunder
Nazi plunder refers to art theft and other items stolen as a result of the organized looting of European countries during the time of the Third Reich by agents acting on behalf of the ruling Nazi Party of Germany. Plundering occurred from 1933 until the end of World War II, particularly by military...
, that were stolen from museums, private collections and libraries and individual Jewish emigrants and death camp prisoners.
The Allies created special commissions, such as the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives (MFAA) organization to help protect famous European monuments from destruction, and after the war, to travel to territories previously occupied by the Germans to find Nazi art repositories. Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden is a city in southwest Germany and the capital of the federal state of Hesse. It has about 275,400 inhabitants, plus approximately 10,000 United States citizens...
Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
stored, identified, and restituted approximately 700,000 individual objects including paintings and sculptures. The allies found these plundered artworks in over 1,050 repositories in Germany and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
at the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
In summer 1945, Capt. Walter Farmer became the collecting point's first director. The first shipment of artworks arriving at Wiesbaden included cases of antiquities, Egyptian art, Islamic artifacts, and paintings from the Kaiser Friedrich Museum. The collecting point also received materials from the Reichsbank
Reichsbank
The Reichsbank was the central bank of Germany from 1876 until 1945. It was founded on 1 January 1876 . The Reichsbank was a privately owned central bank of Prussia, under close control by the Reich government. Its first president was Hermann von Dechend...
and Nazi looted Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
liturgical collections. At its height, Wiesbaden stored, identified, and restituted approximately 700,000 individual objects including paintings and sculptures, mainly to keep in away from the Soviet Army
Soviet Army
The Soviet Army is the name given to the main part of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union between 1946 and 1992. Previously, it had been known as the Red Army. Informally, Армия referred to all the MOD armed forces, except, in some cases, the Soviet Navy.This article covers the Soviet Ground...
and wartime reparations.
His superiors ordered that he send back to the U.S. 202 paintings in his custody, Capt. Farmer and 35 other that were in charge of the Wiesbaden collection point gathered to draw up what has become known as the Wiesbaden Manifesto on November 7, 1945, declaring "We wish to state that, from our own knowledge, no historical grievance will rankle so long or be the cause of so much justified bitterness as the removal for any reason of a part of the heritage of any nation even if that heritage may be interpreted as a prize of war." Among the co-signers was Lieutenant Charles Percy Parkhurst
Charles Percy Parkhurst
Charles Percy Parkhurst was an American museum curator best known for his work on the Roberts Commission, tracking down art looted during World War II.-Biography:...
in the U.S. Navy.
After three years of debate, U.S. President Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
ordered that the paintings be returned to Germany in 1948.
In 1996, the German government honored Mr. Farmer with the crimson Commander's Cross of the Federal Order of Merit.
Mr. Farmer died 11 August 1997 at the age of 86 at Christ Hospital in Cincinnati. The cause was cancer, said his daughter, Margaret Farmer Planton.
Mr. Farmer was born in Alliance, Ohio
Alliance, Ohio
Alliance is a city in Stark and Mahoning counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 22,322 at the 2010 census. Alliance's nickname is "The Carnation City", and the city is home to the University of Mount Union....
, and received bachelor's degrees in mathematics and architecture from Miami University
Miami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
in Oxford, Ohio. He went on to be active also as a genealogist and was prominent in the museum field in Ohio and Texas.
His marriages to Josselyn Liszniewska and to Renate Hobirk ended in divorce.
In addition to his daughter, who lives in Chillicothe, Ohio
Chillicothe, Ohio
Chillicothe is a city in and the county seat of Ross County, Ohio, United States.Chillicothe was the first and third capital of Ohio and is located in southern Ohio along the Scioto River. The name comes from the Shawnee name Chalahgawtha, meaning "principal town", as it was a major settlement of...
, he is survived by two grandsons; a sister, Evelyn Krickbaum of Sidney, Ohio.