Seminar: Kunst oder historisches Zeugnis? Malerei aus der Zeit des NS im Depot des DHM(Art or Historical Evidence? Paintings from the third reich in the Storage of the DHM)

With the collections “Haus der Deutschen Kunst” (House of German Art) and the “German War Art Collection” (GWAC), the Deutsches Historisches Museum (DHM) has two art collections from the National Socialist era in its holdings. The Reich Chancellery acquired above all paintings from the Große Deutsche Kunstausstellung (Great German Art Exhibition), held at the Haus der Deutschen Kunst (House of German Art) in Munich from 1937 and 1944, in order to decorate the “Third Reich’s” representative buildings and offices. After 1945, these paintings were seized by the occupying forces. As the legal successor to the German Reich, the Federal Republic of Germany is the owner of these approximately 750 works.

The art works in the GWAC were made from 1941 by artists at the front or later in their studios at home. They primarily comprise of graphic art, but also paintings. They were used in German army museums and military history collections, in Wehrmacht casinos and barracks. In addition, the art was shown for educational and cultural purposes at exhibitions in Germany, Belgium, France, Norway, Italy, and Austria. After the war, the Americans collected the works on the basis of the Potsdam Agreement to destroy the Nazi Party and its organizations and to stop militaristic and Nazi propaganda. The works were sent to the USA. Most of them are now back in Germany.

The seminar picks up on the critical investigation into these two collections that began in summer semester 2022 by looking at a new selection of examples. What do we know about the artists? Can any biographical details or other works of art be found? Are there differences within the oeuvres of individual artists before 1933 and after 1945? What is depicted in the paintings? Can any points of reference to introduced painting genres, themes, and motifs be found? To what extent does National Socialist ideology manifest itself in the works? Can any comparative examples from that time be found abroad?

Group visits to the DHM’s holdings of paintings will allow for the direct study of objects, on the basis of which participants will develop perspectives on the paintings that will help them to characterize their peculiarities, similarities, or even differences. The seminar will encourage students to critically reflect on the concept of quality and the canon of twentieth-century art history. We will also discuss what knowledge can be gained by examining these collections in order for museums to handle "Art under National Socialism."