Two new documentaries, 'The Spoils' and 'Plunderer: The Life and Times of a Nazi Art Thief,' explore the repercussions of Nazi art looting. 'The Spoils' tells the story of Max Stern, a Jewish art dealer forced to flee Germany after losing his gallery. In contrast, 'Plunderer' chronicles Bruno Lohse's career as an SS officer who looted Jewish collections for high-ranking Nazis. Lohse's untouchable status post-war allowed him to operate a network dealing in stolen art until his death in 2007, highlighting the ongoing impact of these historical injustices on victims and perpetrators alike.
Lohse was never convicted after the war, though he did spend several years in prison. He lived in Munich after his release, becoming part of a discreet network of former Nazis who continued to deal in looted art.
A central figure in the Nazi art-looting operation in occupied France, Lohse quickly advanced to become the Paris agent for Göring, Adolf Hitler's number two.
The Spoils focuses on a victim: the Jewish dealer Max Stern, who was forced to close his gallery, auction his stock and flee Germany.
Meticulous in covering his tracks, Lohse worked with middlemen, Swiss banks and a shadowy Liechtenstein foundation to escape notice-and largely succeeded until his death in 2007 at the age of 95.
Collection
[
|
...
]