14. Van Meegeren claimed to have recovered Dutch cultural property during the war
Much of the remuneration received by van Meegeren had been in the form of other pieces of art. The transfers appeared in Goering’s inventory, and when interviewed in Spain by Allied officers, Miedl confirmed them. Van Meegeren used the transfer of paintings to support his claims of defrauding Goering. In yet another version of his story, he announced he defrauded Goering, in part, to recover pieces of art looted from private collections and Dutch museums and churches. Van Meegeren appealed to the people, through the press, in effect painting an image of himself as a Dutch hero wrongfully persecuted for his actions. Although he lived in considerable luxury throughout the war, he tried to appear as one who sacrificed for the benefit of the people.
Van Meegeren’s claims of painting all of his forgeries as a means of defrauding the Nazis didn’t include those which surfaced as “found” Vermeer paintings before the war. He still faced the dilemma presented by experts who continued to opine his forgeries were in fact genuine Vermeer’s. None of the experts wished to admit they had been duped and they continued to protect their personal and professional reputations. According to some sources, around this time (Autumn, 1945) Hermann Goering received the information that his cherished Vermeer had been a forgery. Though there does not appear to be documented evidence to support the claim, Goering is often reported to have been enraged.