Monuments Men and Women Foundation

Home
United States
Dallas, TX
Monuments Men and Women Foundation

Many had expertise as museum directors, curators, art historians, artists, architects, librarians and educators.

The MMWF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to honoring the Monuments Men and Women, advancing their legacy through restitution, education, preservation, and remembrance, and promoting the protection of shared cultural heritage worldwide. The Monuments Men and Women were a group of approximately 345 men and women from 14 nations, most of whom volunteered for service in the newly created Monuments,

Fine Arts, and Archives (MFAA) Section during World War II. Only their job description was simple: to protect cultural treasures so far as war allowed. We invite you to join us on Facebook and to engage in thoughtful discussion and debate. However, we reserve the right to delete content including but not limited to, hate speech, profanity, Spam and vulgar language.

04/20/2026

This oil painting on wooden panel by Raphael, known as the “Madonna of Divine Love,” is part of the collections housed at the Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte in Naples, Italy. Created with assistance from his workshop, it showcases the technical mastery of the Italian High Renaissance. The work portrays the Virgin Mary with Saint Elizabeth, accompanied by the infants Saint John the Baptist and Christ.

Currently on display at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, the “Madonna of Divine Love” is part of the monumental exhibition “Sublime Poetry,” the first comprehensive Raphael exhibition in the United States. This landmark show features over 170 works by the master painter, his contemporaries, and those who influenced his career.

However, this painting is also connected to a notable chapter in World War II history. During the war, the museums of Naples evacuated their collections for safekeeping to the Abbey of Montecassino. Beginning on September 9, 1943—the day after the Italian armistice with the Allies was announced and the morning of the US Fifth Army’s invasion at Salerno—187 crates of paintings and sculptures were transported to the abbey. By the following month, the Hermann Göring Division, a paratrooper Panzer unit attached to the Luftwaffe, moved the collection to a secret storage facility in Spoleto. Amid growing pressure from both civil and religious leaders in Italy, as well as the Kunstschutz, the German organization responsible for protecting art, the Division ultimately yielded and agreed to relinquish the works to the Vatican in Rome.

Yet, upon the final delivery of objects to the Vatican, 15 crates were missing from the Naples count. Instead of reaching Rome, they had been diverted to Berlin. The Hermann Göring Division had kept some of the most valuable pieces for their commander and namesake, Reichsmarschall Göring, whose personal art collection was of priority.

The “Madonna of Divine Love” was among the works that never made it to the Vatican. After the war, it was recovered by the MFAA from the Altaussee salt mine in Austria and eventually restituted to Capodimonte.

Images 1 & 2 | Wikipedia via CC BY 3.0

Image 3 | The Abbey of Montecassino before its destruction in February 1944. IWM (MH 11250)

Image 4 | A list of the missing Naples artworks created by Allied Military Government staff. US National Archives via Fold3.com.

Image 5 | The Reggia di Capodimonte in Naples, Italy, where the "Madonna of Divine Love" is housed. Wikipedia via CC BY-SA 4.0

04/17/2026

Annibale Carracci’s “Self-Portrait” was owned by the Zamoyski Family Fee Tail (Ordynacja Zamojska), the hereditary estate of the richest noble family in Poland. The family had several grand, historic properties in Warsaw, including a number of palaces. It is believed that Carracci’s “Self-Portrait” was in the Blue Palace on 35/37 Senatorska Street, Warsaw, prior to World War II.

On September 1, 1939, N**i forces invaded Poland. The details of the disappearance of Carracci’s painting are unknown. The museum collections in the Blue Palace were reported as “practically burnt out” during the bombardment of Warsaw. However, if the painting was on the palace grounds and survived the fires of September 1939, as some objects did, it may have been removed by the N**i authorities.

The Zamoyski heirs continue to search for their missing art and claim the land that was taken from them.

Image | Courtesy of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland
_____

JOIN THE HUNT
Do you know anything pertaining to the whereabouts of this work of art?

Annibale Carracci (1560-1609) | Self-Portrait | oil on canvas, 37.40 x 49.21 in. (95 x 125 cm) | property of the Zamoyski Family

Cash Reward up to $2,500*

Write to us | [email protected]

*Terms & Conditions apply, see www.monumentsmenandwomenfnd.org/wwii-most-wanted

04/16/2026

One year ago, we launched the Forever Promise Project with a clear goal: to connect the families of the American men and women buried or commemorated at the Netherlands American Cemetery with the Dutch adopters who have cared for their graves for generations—fulfilling a promise made eighty years ago to never forget them.

In just twelve months, in partnership with our colleagues at Foundation for Adopting Graves American Cemetery Margraten, more than 400 families have been connected with the Dutch adopters who have cared for their loved ones for generations. Each connection restores a relationship that was always meant to exist.

Today, to mark this first anniversary, we are launching our Ambassador Toolkit & Engagement Guide—a simple way for anyone to help move this mission forward.

Whether you have five minutes or more, you can play a role. Search a name. Share a story. Help us find a family. This mission grows one connection at a time.

Explore the toolkit at www.foreverpromise.org/support/toolkit

Together, we keep the promise.

Image 3 | Courtesy of Municipality of Eijsden-Margraten.

04/15/2026

Today is World Art Day!

Celebrated on April 15, the birthday of Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci, this day honors the important role art plays in our culture, creativity, and society.

Da Vinci embodied the spirit of the Italian Renaissance as a visionary whose work joined art, science, and human curiosity. From “The Last Supper” to the “Mona Lisa,” his masterpieces continue to influence how we define art.

But even his greatest masterpieces were not immune to the potential destruction of a global war. During World War II, countless cultural treasures were at risk of destruction or theft, including those by Leonardo da Vinci. Thanks to the heroic efforts of the Monuments Men and Women, many priceless works were safeguarded, recovered, and preserved for future generations.

Today, we take time not only to celebrate art, but also to recognize our responsibility to protect it, so that future generations can do the same.

_______

Image 1 | “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci, located in the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. Public domain via Wikipedia

Image 2 | “The Last Supper” is safeguarded behind sandbags, paneling, and scaffolding on the right side of the image. The refectory sustained severe damage when it was bombed by Allied forces in August 1943. Courtesy of the National Gallery of Art Archives.

Image 3 | The “Mona Lisa” was protected by fine arts officials from the French National Museums during WWII. Public domain via Wikipedia

Image 4 | At the Château de Montal, an attendant poses next to the crate containing the “Mona Lisa.” The three red circles on the crate symbolized the exceptional importance of this work, whose evacuation was a priority. Archives nationales, France, 20144792/251

04/14/2026

This month, the Overlord Museum presents an exceptional exhibition dedicated to the Monuments Men and Women.

The Monuments Men and Women Foundation is pleased to support this exhibition and extends its sincere thanks to curator Matteo Grouard for his thoughtful collaboration and for including our work in this important initiative.

The exhibition will be on view in Normandy, France, until January 3, 2027.

Images | Courtesy of Matteo Grouard

04/13/2026

Meet the Heroes: Private First Class Russell Joseph Buckingham Sr. (US Army) 🇺🇸

Russell Joseph Buckingham Sr. was born in March 1914 in Yonkers, New York. He received a degree from Fordham University before being drafted into the US Army and serving with the 157th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division (the Thunderbird Division). Buckingham survived a highly eventful military career. He participated in combat operations in Salerno and Anzio, Italy, before being wounded in France. He is a recipient of a Purple Heart.

Buckingham later served as a courier and driver for MFAA operations in Munich. He worked out of the Munich Central Collecting Point from Hitler’s former radio office, delivering correspondence between headquarters and other field offices. Buckingham also made stops at various art repositories.

Buckingham passed away in Pennsylvania in October 2003.
_________

Image | Courtesy of Russell J. Buckingham Jr.

04/12/2026

On this Day in 1945, Generals Dwight D. Eisenhower, George S. Patton, and Omar Bradley toured the Kaiseroda mine in Merkers, Germany, where the US Army’s 90th Infantry Division had uncovered vast N**i gold reserves alongside priceless works of art stored from German state collections.

As Allied bombing intensified in the final weeks of the war, artworks from German state collections—many from Berlin’s museums (Staatliche Museen zu Berlin)—were transferred to the mine for safekeeping. After its discovery, the Merkers cache was evacuated by the Monuments Men and transferred to the Reichsbank in Frankfurt. From there, the artworks were processed through the Wiesbaden Central Collecting Point, where efforts began to restitute them back to the denazified German state.
_______

Image 1 | Generals Eisenhower, Patton, and Bradley inspect artworks within the Merkers mine. US National Archives (111-SC-204516)

Image 2 | American soldiers stand with Édouard Manet’s masterpiece “In the Conservatory” from Berlin’s Alte Nationalgalerie. US National Archives (111-SC-203453-5)

Image 3 | German gold reserves found within the mine. US National Archives (111-SC-205409)

Image 4 | General Eisenhower, supreme Allied commander, and General Omar N. Bradley, commanding general of 12th Army Group, examine a suitcase of silverware, part of German loot stored in the mine. US National Archives (111-SC-204515)

04/10/2026

Claude Monet’s masterpiece, “Manet Painting in Monet’s Garden,” was owned by the German Jewish artist Max Liebermann and his wife Martha. The painting was confiscated from the couple's apartment on Pariser Platz, Berlin, in March 1943.

Max died in his sleep on February 8, 1935. His daughter Katharina “Käthe” managed to flee to the United States in 1938 with her family, with the intention of finding a way for her mother, Martha, to join her. However, on March 4, 1943, she received notification that she would be deported to the Theresienstadt concentration camp the next day. Bedridden from a stroke, Martha chose to overdose on sleeping pills.

Her apartment was seized and sealed by authorities. In late March, the entire Liebermann estate was confiscated for the benefit of the Reich. “Manet Painting in Monet’s Garden” has not been seen since.

Image | Courtesy of the Heirs/Representatives
_____

JOIN THE HUNT
Do you know anything pertaining to the whereabouts of this work of art?

Claude Monet (1840-1926) | Manet Painting in Monet's Garden (1874) | oil on canvas, 16.14 x 26.77 in. (41 x 68 cm) | property of Martha Liebermann

Cash Reward up to $25,000*

Write to us | [email protected]

*Terms & Conditions apply, see www.monumentsmenandwomenfnd.org/wwii-most-wanted

04/09/2026

Have you visited the Monuments Men and Women Gallery at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans? Let us know in the comments!

The Monuments Men and Women Gallery is the first permanent exhibition dedicated to these men and women. The gallery allows visitors of The National WWII Museum to expand their knowledge through an immersive experience that brings the missions of these previously unsung heroes to life.

To its great credit, The National WWII Museum embraced the idea in 2009, four years before the making and release of The Monuments Men film. We thank Nick Mueller, Stephen Watson, President and CEO of The National WWII Museum and the Museum trustees, Bob and Patty Hayes, the family of Mildred Grinstead, and the families of the Monuments Men and Women for helping to make this dream of ours a reality.

“This gallery will be a journey into the heart of the greatest treasure hunt in history. I couldn’t be more proud than to have it at The National WWII Museum in New Orleans, the official WWII museum of the United States and a world-class institution.” - Robert M. Edsel (Founder, Monuments Men and Women Foundation)

04/08/2026

Today is International Provenance Research Day, observed annually on the second Wednesday of April since its establishment in 2019. The day highlights the crucial role of provenance research in the restitution efforts of artworks with N**i-era histories and is recognized by institutions around the world who offer a variety of programs dedicated to this important topic.

In 2009, the Foundation shed light on the wartime history of two paintings by Spanish master Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1618–1682) on display at SMU’s Meadows Museum: Seville’s patron saints, Justa and Rufina. Both paintings, properly restituted to their rightful owners before being donated to the museum, bear evidence of having been a part of the systematic N**i looting of art from Jewish collectors orchestrated by the ERR in France.

In keeping with the Foundation’s mission, Robert M. Edsel drew University officials’ attention to the importance of adhering to the Washington Principles guidance in identifying works of art confiscated by the N**is. He emphasized the necessity of researching the provenance of works that might have been subjected to N**i confiscation and publishing the findings. He also urged University officials to issue a joint announcement about these findings, providing an example to encourage all museums to follow these important guidelines.

The Meadows Museum has since updated its website to present the correct provenance of these two paintings and to clearly affirm its support for these principles.

04/07/2026

Meet the Heroes: Lieutenant Colonel John Nicholas Brown II (Civilian Officer) 🇺🇸

Philanthropist and art connoisseur John Nicholas Brown was born in New York City on February 21, 1900. Brown’s familial wealth and influence traces from the establishment of colonial Rhode Island to the founding of Brown University.

In March 1945, he joined the MFAA Branch as adviser on cultural matters to the US Group Control Council. In this position, he provided guidance to commanding generals on formulating policy for the protection and preservation of cultural heritage in the US Zone of Occupation as well as the restitution of looted objects. Brown conducted field inspections and negotiated restitution terms with multiple foreign dignitaries and representatives. He also participated in the repatriation of the famous Ghent Altarpiece, the first formal return by the Western Allies of a major work of art stolen by the N**is. Brown was particularly vocal regarding the US Army’s ill-fated plan to move 202 German-owned works of art for “safekeeping” to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.

Following his return to the United States in August 1945, Brown was appointed the assistant secretary of the Navy (AIR) by President Truman in 1946. He held this position until 1949. The remainder of his life was devoted to philanthropic endeavors.

John Nicholas Brown II died of a heart attack on October 9, 1979, on his yacht, which was anchored off Annapolis, Maryland.

Image | Brown at Bushy Park, England, March 1945. John Hay Library, Brown University

04/06/2026

Did you know that the sculpture “Fidelity, Bravery and Integrity” located in the FBI Headquarters courtyard was created by a Monuments Man?

Frederick C. Shrady’s bronze sculpture, which bears the FBI’s motto carved along its base, depicts three figures, each symbolizing one part of the motto, set against the backdrop of a rippling American flag. It was commissioned by the Society of Former Agents of the FBI, an alumni organization, in honor of J. Edgar Hoover, the first director of the FBI and the namesake of the headquarters in Washington, DC. Shrady completed the sculpture in 1976.

As a Monuments Man, Lt. Shrady served with the Third US Army, assisting the MFAA in the evacuation of artwork from the salt mine in Altaussee, Austria. Later that year, he served as an MFAA officer for a military government detachment of Wiesbaden and was a signatory of the Wiesbaden Manifesto in November 1945.

Following his return to the United States, Shrady became an accomplished sculptor. In 1982, he became the first American artist to be commissioned by the Vatican. His works are held in the collections of prestigious institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Georgetown University, the General Electric Headquarters, and St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
___________

Image 1 | Archpaper.com
Image 2 | Second Lieutenant Shrady. Private Collection
Image 3 | “Fidelity, Bravery and Integrity” by Shrady. GSA\Kristen Fusselle
Image 4 | Shrady (center) holding the Czernin Vermeer within the Altaussee salt mine. Gift of Robert and Maria Posey, The Monuments Men and Women Foundation Collection, The National WWII Museum New Orleans, LA
Image 5 | Shrady in his studio. Courtesy of Naturegeezer.com

Address

Dallas, TX

Telephone

+12142191222

Website

http://www.mmwf.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Monuments Men and Women Foundation posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Monuments Men and Women Foundation:

Shortcuts

Featured

PopUp Comfort

Want your organization to be the top-listed Non Profit Organization in Dallas?