The Art Collector who Sold Arms to the Nazis (and other fine people)
Magnificent Art at the Zurich Kunsthaus
After the end of World War II, claimed that he hadn’t known the provenance of hundreds of works of great art he’d bought during the war.
had earned hundreds of millions of dollars by supplying arms to the Nazis and their allies, but more than one jury believed that he’d acted in “good faith” by buying the works of Renoir, Van Gogh, Picasso, and other important artists (over 600 pieces of art), much of it from either those forced to sell their worldly possessions or works by “persecuted victims.”
That’s the phrase used to describe those outside of Nazi control who sold art to finance escapes for relatives or to protect their livelihoods. In other words, Jews.
Switzerland stayed “neutral” during the Holocaust, but “between 1940 and 1944, 84 percent of Swiss munitions’ exports went to Axis countries.” Buhrle sold arms to Nazis and Nazi allies.
Emil Georg Bührle’s company was the largest purveyor of Swiss arms, making about 6 billion in today’s dollars between 1941 and 1945. After the war, Emil Bührle and the Oerlikon-Bührle company continued to sell illegal, large-scale weapons to troubled areas around the world. In case you were wondering how the worstplayers in history got the weaponry that allowed them to wage war and kill their own citizens, this guy made it happen.
Is it surprising that Swiss juries would give Mr. Bührle the benefit of the doubt after the war, even though it was well known that he amassed his fortune by selling arms to the worst players? What social responsibility do museums have? How do Swiss citizens feel about the exhibition of some of the most prominent of the paintings he owned, now ON LOAN to the Kunsthaus from his foundation? These questions and more are asked in different ways throughout the exhibit.
The controversy continues 80 years after the end of the war.
We walked around gasping in astonishment or dismay, reading about the wealthy Jewish families forced to sell the most magnificent art at bargain prices. Keep in mind that Jews only began amassing wealth once they were allowed into formerly prohibited professions during the 18th century.
I fell in love with this magnificent museum after viewing parts of their permanent collection and browsing the fabulous Alberto Giacometti exhibit. We loved seeing a few Chagalls we’d never seen in person and other great works of art, beautifully displayed. Also, the buildings are stunning. Kudos to the Zurich Kunsthaus for bravely facing the history of Swiss involvement during the Holocaust (despite being neutral).
Zurich is a wonderfully clean city with a gorgeous lake, its people are polite and respectful of others. It’s a bit expensive, but worth a visit, and the Bührle collection is a must-see.
I slept from Zurich to Basel, and I’m writing this on the train from Basel, Switzerland, to Frankfurt, Germany.
I was in the restroom when the train crossed the border, and I suddenly heard a sharp rapping. I finished washing my hands and opened the door to see two huge, armed police officers. Maybe they expected a stowaway or a villain of some kind, but before I could flash back to German trains during the Third Reich, they smiled at me and excused themselves.
The world has changed, and Germany has come to terms with its history, building Holocaust memorials and paying reparations to survivors of the Nazi regime (unlike some other European countries that continue to deny their responsibility for the loss of Jewish property, freedom, and lives).
I look forward to visiting meaningful cultural and historical sites here in Germany. I hope I’ll have time to write more about it, but right now the train is pulling into the station, so I’m off!
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