The Monuments Men and the Abraham Lincoln Brigades

I just finished reading Robert Edsel’s excellent book The Monuments Men (Publisher: Center Street) and I am still marveling at the until now unheralded work of the men and women who worked for the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives unit of the Army during and after World War II. James Rorimer, Walker Hancock, George Stout and many other valiant figures played vital, yet unfortunately,  unrecognized roles in rescuing paintings, statues and other cultural treasures stolen by the Nazis during their reign of terror and looting. Oftentimes they had to struggle with the very military structure that they belong to to be recognized as legitimate warriors with an equally important objective. Unfortunately, not many people remember the Monuments Men these days. Edsel writes, “All countries ignore the Monuments Men’s legacy at their own peril. For example, several years ago I spoke with one of the key officers in charge of tracking down some of the 15,000 works of art looted from the National Museum of Iraq in Baghdad during and following the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. He acknowledged that he had never heard of the Monuments Men.” Hopefully, with the upcoming soon-to-be released movie “The Monuments Men,” starring George Clooney and Matt Damon, the story of these figures who risked their lives will make its way into the collective consciousness of millions of Americans. 

Edsel’s book and his work remind me of the efforts made by another historian/writer to retrieve an important historical event from the chasm of American indifference,  ignorance and intellectual lethargy. Thanks to Peter Carroll I now know of the Abraham Lincoln Brigades and their role in fighting fascism in Spain during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). His book The Odyssey of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade introduces us to the many ordinary men and women who followed their sense of conscience, duty and social justice to assist people they did not know in fighting the forces of the Nationalists led by Francisco Franco, and troops sent by Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. In the era of the US policy of non-intervention these brave individuals, most of whom had no military experience went to Spain to fight soldiers who had ample training and weapons support. I do not see this ever happening again. The immediacy of the media almost makes us intimately acquainted with the violence and conflicts around the world. I doubt we will see another Robert Hale Merriman or Milton Wolffe (called ‘Lobo’ by his Spanish comrades in arms) put their careers on hold to live up to and support the ideals they believe in. Similarly, I don’t see any future James Rorimers or Lincoln Kirsteins out there to continue the work and legacy of the Monuments Men. But what we can do is read these two excellent books and make sure that public libraries and school libraries have them.  Sure, Duck Dynasty and the Kardashian sisters might grip America’s attention right now, but you can rest assured that in 10 years time, they will be a thing of the past, buried deep in our country’s collective Altaussee mine, while the stories of the Monuments Men and the Abraham Lincoln Brigades will continue to be told for generations to come. 

Thank you to Robert Edsel and Peter Carroll for reminding us why history is important. History is not just about the military victories that count, but the battles waged on the fields of our collective conscience, even if they did not result in a “win.” I tip my hat to the Monuments Men and the Abraham Lincoln Brigades, may the light of your inspiration continue to guide us for many years to come.