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The Faustian Bargain: The Art World in Nazi Germany
Nazi art looting has been the subject of enormous international attention in recent years, and the topic of two history bestsellers, Hector Feliciano's The Lost Museum and Lynn Nicholas's The Rape of Europa . But such books leave us What made thoughtful, educated, artistic men and women decide to put their talents in the service of a brutal and inhuman regime? This question is the starting point for The Faustian Bargain , Jonathan Petropoulos's study of the key figures in the art world of Nazi Germany.
Petropoulos follows the careers of these prominent individuals who like Faust, that German archetype, chose to pursue artistic ends through collaboration with diabolical forces. Readers meet Ernst Buchner, the distinguished museum director and expert on Old Master paintings who "repatriated" the Van Eyck brother's Ghent altarpiece to Germany, and Karl Haberstock, an art dealer who filled German museums with works bought virtually at gunpoint from Jewish collectors. Robert Scholz, the leading art critic in the Third Reich, became an officer in the chief art looting unit in France and Kajetan Muhlmann--a leading art historian--was probably the single most prolific art plunderer in the war (and arguably in history). Finally, there is Arno Breker, a gifted artist who exchanged his modernist style for monumental realism and became Hitler's favorite sculptor. If it is striking that these educated men became part of the Nazi machine, it is more remarkable that most of them rehabilitated
their careers and lived comfortably after the war. Petropoulos has discovered a network of these rehabilitated experts that flourished in the postwar period, and he argues that this is a key to the tens of thousands of looted artworks that are still "missing" today.
Based on previously unreleased information and recently declassified documents, The Faustian Bargain is a gripping read about the art world during this period, and a fascinating examination of the intense relationship between culture and politics in the Third Reich.
Petropoulos follows the careers of these prominent individuals who like Faust, that German archetype, chose to pursue artistic ends through collaboration with diabolical forces. Readers meet Ernst Buchner, the distinguished museum director and expert on Old Master paintings who "repatriated" the Van Eyck brother's Ghent altarpiece to Germany, and Karl Haberstock, an art dealer who filled German museums with works bought virtually at gunpoint from Jewish collectors. Robert Scholz, the leading art critic in the Third Reich, became an officer in the chief art looting unit in France and Kajetan Muhlmann--a leading art historian--was probably the single most prolific art plunderer in the war (and arguably in history). Finally, there is Arno Breker, a gifted artist who exchanged his modernist style for monumental realism and became Hitler's favorite sculptor. If it is striking that these educated men became part of the Nazi machine, it is more remarkable that most of them rehabilitated
their careers and lived comfortably after the war. Petropoulos has discovered a network of these rehabilitated experts that flourished in the postwar period, and he argues that this is a key to the tens of thousands of looted artworks that are still "missing" today.
Based on previously unreleased information and recently declassified documents, The Faustian Bargain is a gripping read about the art world during this period, and a fascinating examination of the intense relationship between culture and politics in the Third Reich.
395 pages, Hardcover
First published February 14, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 18, 2025
I cannot approach any book by Jonathan Petropolous except within the context of his remarkable oeuvre which has shown on light on various aspects of what it meant to live under the Nazi, either in Germany or conquered countries like France, and the complexities that involved. The simple tropes of good and bad, collaborators and resistance are too easy and also untrue. That doesn't mean he white washes or excuses collaboration/co-operation - if anything he is harder because he throws a spotlight on figures whose failures it is easy, and disturbing, to realise our the moral failings of us all. For too long we who came from countries that were unoccupied were able to lie to ourselves that we would have made the 'right' choices. That is nonesense.
Petropoulos follows the careers of prominent individuals who like Faust, that German archetype, chose to pursue artistic ends through collaboration with diabolical forces. You meet Ernst Buchner, the distinguished museum director and expert on Old Master paintings who "repatriated" the Van Eyck brother's Ghent altarpiece to Germany; Karl Haberstock, a dealer who filled German museums with works bought virtually at gunpoint from Jewish collectors; Robert Scholz, the leading art critic in the Third Reich, who became an officer in the chief art looting unit in France; Kajetan Muhlmann, a leading art historian and probably the single most prolific art plunderer WWII (and arguably in history - topping even Napoleon) and finally Arno Breker, a gifted artist who exchanged his modernist style for monumental realism and became Hitler's favorite sculptor.
If it is striking that men like these became part of the Nazi machine, it is even more remarkable that most of them were rehabilitated, continued their careers and lived comfortably after the war. Petropoulos has discovered a network of these rehabilitated experts that flourished in the postwar period, and he argues that this is a key to the tens of thousands of looted artworks that are still "missing" today.
It is outstanding and Petropolous and others have revealed and also altered attitudes towards those who worked for the Nazis. Time has caught up with the reputations of many of these men subsequent to Petropolous's book and they now receive the obliquity they deserve their reputations destroyed. If you are interested in Nazi Germany Petropolous is a must read author.
Petropoulos follows the careers of prominent individuals who like Faust, that German archetype, chose to pursue artistic ends through collaboration with diabolical forces. You meet Ernst Buchner, the distinguished museum director and expert on Old Master paintings who "repatriated" the Van Eyck brother's Ghent altarpiece to Germany; Karl Haberstock, a dealer who filled German museums with works bought virtually at gunpoint from Jewish collectors; Robert Scholz, the leading art critic in the Third Reich, who became an officer in the chief art looting unit in France; Kajetan Muhlmann, a leading art historian and probably the single most prolific art plunderer WWII (and arguably in history - topping even Napoleon) and finally Arno Breker, a gifted artist who exchanged his modernist style for monumental realism and became Hitler's favorite sculptor.
If it is striking that men like these became part of the Nazi machine, it is even more remarkable that most of them were rehabilitated, continued their careers and lived comfortably after the war. Petropoulos has discovered a network of these rehabilitated experts that flourished in the postwar period, and he argues that this is a key to the tens of thousands of looted artworks that are still "missing" today.
It is outstanding and Petropolous and others have revealed and also altered attitudes towards those who worked for the Nazis. Time has caught up with the reputations of many of these men subsequent to Petropolous's book and they now receive the obliquity they deserve their reputations destroyed. If you are interested in Nazi Germany Petropolous is a must read author.
April 8, 2011
The intent of this book is to sketch the collusion of five major figures from the art world as part of the continuum of collaborators during the Nazi regime. Petropoulos makes the argument that while these men were not mass murderers, their participation and contributions to the Nazi agenda were not just reactive. Their roles as accomplices and often creators of propaganda enabled the legitimization of the Nazi cultural program and the spread of the closely interwoven racial and geopolitical agendas. The five main figures were not unique—the book includes mention of many other “ordinary Germans” that participated in criminal acts and collaborated with the Nazi regime.
One thread that persists throughout this book (and in most discussions about perpetrators) is whether these men were forced by the Nazi leadership to participate, or whether they made the active choice to plunder. Unsurprisingly, most claimed the former during the postwar period, and many of these art world elites resumed their careers after 1945. The final sentence provides a compelling window into the purpose of the book:
“The art experts of the Third Reich largely avoided punishment while they were alive; it is therefore imperative that they not be exonerated by history (280).”
One thread that persists throughout this book (and in most discussions about perpetrators) is whether these men were forced by the Nazi leadership to participate, or whether they made the active choice to plunder. Unsurprisingly, most claimed the former during the postwar period, and many of these art world elites resumed their careers after 1945. The final sentence provides a compelling window into the purpose of the book:
“The art experts of the Third Reich largely avoided punishment while they were alive; it is therefore imperative that they not be exonerated by history (280).”
March 1, 2014
"The Rape of Europa" part 2
December 31, 2023
Super dense and probably more for a historian/academic then the casual reader. I found it interesting, but a lot to take it in. Like taking an advanced history class without having the proper prerequisites. My biggest take away that power knows no ideology, if opportunity to rearm (the Germans) and opportunity to industrialize (USSR) made strange bedfellows.
March 29, 2018
This was a very interesting read. Despite the amazing detail, it gives the reader a good over-view of what happened to all of the art work during those years and the role the big wheels played.
December 2, 2013
This is dated. Very much so. New revelations and the deaths of the people that got away with stealing, plundering and so much more has moved this tale of deceit, theft and politics beyond this very basic and sometimes grating essay on how in Nazi Germany the art world people collaborated, participated and ran the art trade for over a decade, got away with it and went back to it after the war.
I didn't learn much. Petropoulos' writing seems at times to take the words of the people he interviewed as truth and gospel. Which is disturbing because since then huge caches of stolen artworks by the same people were found in Swiss banks (in Lohse's case) or in old Munich apartment.
The people that stole from, the people that were despoiled have all but disappear now and there are thousand of works that will never be given back.
You can give this essay a pass it's unfortunately not up to date anymore.
I didn't learn much. Petropoulos' writing seems at times to take the words of the people he interviewed as truth and gospel. Which is disturbing because since then huge caches of stolen artworks by the same people were found in Swiss banks (in Lohse's case) or in old Munich apartment.
The people that stole from, the people that were despoiled have all but disappear now and there are thousand of works that will never be given back.
You can give this essay a pass it's unfortunately not up to date anymore.
August 31, 2011
A depressing and somewhat tedious book, Faustian Bargain looks at about 20 individuals who collaborated with the Nazis. They were artists, art dealers, museum professionals, art critics, and art historians. Some directly aided the task of plundering art from conquered nations and from Jews. Others glorified Nazi ideology through their writing or art. Others enjoyed Nazi patronage and lived the high life during the Nazi years. A depressingly small number paid any serious price or even felt remorse.
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April 2, 2009I read one page last night before I fell asleep. I think it was good.
--Caroline
--Caroline
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews