11. The Monuments Men discovered Christ With the Adulteress in 1945
In early 1945, as the Nazi regime in Germany began to collapse, the Allies established teams of experts to track down the vast collection of art looted by the Nazis. Known colloquially as the Monuments Men, the teams faced an enormous task. The Nazis had stolen art from throughout Europe. As it became evident they would lose the war many of the German thieves moved their plunder into underground facilities, including salt mines. Goering moved most of his collection from Carinhall to salt mines in Bavaria and Austria. With Teutonic efficiency, a meticulously prepared inventory, which included the provenance of most of the works, accompanied his collection into storage.
The Monuments Men discovered Goering’s stash in 1945. Using his inventory, the teams were surprised to learn of the existence of a previously unknown Vermeer, Christ With the Adulteress. The Monuments Men, all of whom were experts in art, unanimously agreed the painting was an authentic Vermeer. Goering’s inventory allowed them to trace the painting from Goering to Miedl, and from Miedl to van Meegeren. The evidence indicated the latter had been assisting the Nazis in plundering art which legally was the property of the Dutch Republic. Authorities traveled to Amsterdam to question van Meegeren about the provenance of the painting, and whether he had illegally corroborated with the Nazi regime during the occupation of the Netherlands. They also traveled to Spain to question Miedl. Miedl immune from prosecution thanks to Ferdinand Franco’s protection, provided useful information implicating van Meegeren.
Also Read: The Monuments Men: The 8 Greatest Pieces of Art Saved During World War II