How Erhard Göpel purchased artworks in the Netherlands, Belgium, and France on behalf of the Sonderauftrag Linz
- When
- Wednesday, 4 November, 11:30
- Where
- Sprengel Museum Hannover, Auditorium
- Panel
- Panel 8: How to identify looted art in the Benelux countries and Switzerland
In his role as an art looter for Hitler, Erhard Göpel (1906–1966) created lasting voids in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Austria. The consequences of his activities are still evident today: a number of the approximately 1,500 artworks he stole in these countries for Hitler remain missing.
Who is this man? What drives him, already at the age of fourteen, toward art—a passion he cherishes throughout his life? What makes him commit himself with such enthusiasm to looting art during the war? How much self-awareness does he possess when confronting his actions from this period? Is he a convinced Nazi? A war criminal? What kind of man is he? Which character traits define him? How do others experience and judge him?
These and other questions are answered in a popular-scientific adaptation of my dissertation. It is time to introduce this art looter and the era in which he lived to a wider audience. It will not be a pleasant acquaintance.