Nazi Conspiracy & Aggression A. Confiscatory Laws and Decrees
In October 1939 Goering issued a verbal order to Dr.
Muehlmann asking him to undertake the immediate securing of
all Polish art treasures. (1709-PS)
On 15 November 1939, Hans Frank, Governor-General for the
Occupied Polish Territories, issued a decree providing in
part:
"Article 1. 1. All movable and stationary property of
the Former Polish State *** will be sequestered for the
purpose of securing all manner of public valuables." (1773-PS).
On 16 December 1939, Frank issued a decree providing in
part:
"Article 1. All art objects in public possession in the
General Gouvernement will be confiscated for the
fulfillment of public tasks of common interest insofar
as it has not already been seized under the decree on
the confiscation of the wealth of the former Polish
State in the General Gouvernement of 15 November 1939
(Verordnungsblatt GGP, p. 37).
"Article 2. With the exception of art collections and
art objects which were the property of the former
Polish State, art objects will be considered as owned
by the public:
"1. Private art collections which have been taken under
protection by the special commissioner for the seizure
and safekeeping of the art and cultural treasures.
"2. All ecclesiastical art property with the exception
of
[Page 1107]
those objects required for the daily performance of
liturgic actions.
"Article 3. 1. In order to determine whether art
objects are public property in the sense of this
regulation, every private and ecclesiastical art
possession has to be registered with exact data on the
kind, nature and number of pieces.
"2. Everyone who possessed or at the present time is in
possession of or else is entitled to dispose of such
objects of art since 15 March 1939, is obliged to
register the same." (1773-PS)
In order to implement the above decree, the following
registration decree wa issued in the name of the Governor
General by Dr. Muehlmann, Special Deputy for the Securing of
Art Treasures:
"Article 2. 1. Objects of artistic, cultural-historical
and historical value which originate from the time
before 1850, have to be registered.
"2. The registration includes the following:
"a. Paintings.
"b. Sculpture.
"c. Products of handicraft (for instance antique
furniture, chinaware, glass, golden and silver objects,
Gobelins, rugs, embroideries, lacework, paramente,
etc.).
"d. Drawings, engravings, woodcuts, etc.
"e. Rare manuscripts, musical manuscripts, autographs,
book-paintings, miniatures, prints, covers, etc.
"f. Weapons, armors, etc.
"g. Coins, medals, seals, etc.
"3. Regarding the art objects mentioned in section 2,
detailed information has to be given if possible, on
the master, the time of production, the contents of the
representation, measurements and material (for
instance, wood, canvas, bronze, etc.) ." (1773-PS)
The seizures authorized by the above decrees ripened into
confiscation and assumption of ownership by the General
Gouvernement, with the issuance of the following decree by
Frank on 24 September 1940:
"Article 1. The property sequestered on the basis of
Article 1, section 1 of the decree on the confiscation
of the wealth of the former Polish State within the
General Gouvernement of 15 November 1939
(Verordnungsblatt GGP, Pg. 37) will be transferred to
the ownership of the General Gouvernement." (1773-PS)
Heinrich Himmler, as Reichscommissioner for the Strengthen-
[Page 1108]
ing of Germanism, issued an "urgent decree" to the regional
officers of the Secret Police in the Annexed Eastern
Territories and the Commanders of Security Service in Krakau
(Charkow), Radom, Warsaw, and Lublin. The decree, 11
February 1939, was circulated on 116 February 1939, the
same date as the promulgation of the decree of Dr.
Muehlmann, above referred to (1773-PS). The Himmler decree
contained administrative directions for execution of the Art
Seizure program. (R-143)
B. Purpose of Art Seizures.
The purpose of the Seizure Program is indicated in the
aforementioned Himmler decree:
"1. To strengthen Germanism in the defense of the Reich
all articles mentioned in Section II of this decree are
hereby confiscated. This applies to all articles
located in the territories annexed by the Fuehrer's and
Reich Chancellor's decree of 10 December 39, and the
General Government for the Occupied Polish Territories.
They are confiscated for the benefit of the German
Reich and are at the disposal of the Reich Commissioner
for the Strengthening of Germanism."
*******
IV
"All confiscations made before this decree by
authorities of the Reich Fuehrer SS and the Chief of
German Police and the Reich Commissioner for the
Strengthening of Germanism are hereby confirmed. They
are to be regarded as made for the benefit of the
German Reich and are at the disposal of the Reich
Commissioner for the Strengthening of Germanism."
(R-143)
The methodical nature of the Art Seizure Program, and the
existence of a general policy of confiscation of art
treasures, indicated in section V of Himmler's decree:
"In due course the usual questionnaires for cataloguing
confiscated articles are to be sent to the Chief
Custodian East." (R-143)
The intention to enrich Germany by the seizures rather than
merely to protect the seized objects is indicated in a
report by Dr. Hans Posse, Director of the Dresden State
Picture Gallery:
"I was able to gain some knowledge on the public and
private collections as well as clerical property in
Cracow and Warsaw. It is true that we cannot hope too
much to enrich ourselves from the acquisition of great
Art works, of paint-
[Page 1109]
ings and sculptures, with the exception of the Veit-
Stoss Altar and the plates of Hans Von Kulmbach in the
Church of Maria in Cracow ..and several other works
from the National Museum in Warsaw. ***" (1600-PS)
The avowed purpose of the art treasure seizures was the
promulgation of German Culture throughout the Occupied East:
"*** the result is put down in the catalogue together
with reproductions, and this is a definite proof of the
penetration of the East by the German Cultural urge."
(1233-PS)
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Volume
I Chapter XIV
The Plunder of Art Treasures
The General-Gouvernement
(Part 1 of 2)