Agency slammed for Hitler painting sales
Published: 7 Nov 11 08:17 CET | Print version
Updated: 7 Nov 11 12:13 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/37194/20111107/
Sweden's debt collection agency's (Kronofogden) plans to sell seven paintings by Adolf Hitler, a move which has drawn criticism from the Jewish association in Stockholm, has been scuppered after the works were deemed to be fakes.
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The agency hoped that the sale would bring in several hundred thousands of kronor but after seeking expert advice, they are thought be worth a only a few hundred.
"We engaged a man who I consider to know what he is talking about and the answer we received was that the reproductions were worth a total of 500 kronor," said district court prosecutor Jörgen Larsson.
The Jewish association in Stockholm reacted angrily to the planned sale, but the authority has argued that it can't consider ethical factors in settling outstanding debts.
"It is symbolically unfortunate that people earn money on these items," said David Lazar at the association to Aftonbladet.
Adolf Hitler maintained that art was one of his major lifelong interests. He is believed to have sold thousands of paintings and postcards during his time living in Vienna.
There was a keen market for his work during the time of the Third Reich and there remain collectors keen to get hold of works by the former Nazi leader.
Hitler was known to describe himself as something of a frustrated artist and while alive often made grand claims pertaining to his artistic prowess.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
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And therein lies the entire problem with the system. Indebtedness diminishes people's power to act ethically or stand up for what they believe in.
I'm sure someone else did something similar in Germany between 1933 and 1945. Now who was it?
Maybe theJewish Association should buy it, and teep them out of circulationif they want to ignore the facts of life. It is time to let the pas go and let the sleeping dogs rest.
So what you´re saying that it would be ok to sell Anders Breivik´s paintings also?
What I quite clearly said was, that it is not OK for people to pick and choose what is acceptable art, and what is not. That was a very dark path, once taken by both the Nazi and Communist parties, and it inevitibly leads to other far more horrible forms of control.
The Jewish Association of Stockholm clearly missed the irony of Jews calling for the censorship of art they find inappropriate. They obviously dozed off during that part of the history lesson. Fortunately for them, some of us remember what happens when that sort of thing goes on.
May I suggest Nukeiran, that you do a little reading on the subject yourself.
I suggest the Jewish Association buy the "art", then sell tickets to an "exhibition" where people can spit, stomp, etc. on the "art" before someone lights it on fire. Ticket sales will reimburse the Association, while any extra proceeds can go to charity. The whole event can be billed as interactive performance art, so the art community will have something new to write articles about.
@Nukeiran...it is not the attempt to sell that carries the main burden of moral acceptability (unless,of course, you are talking about the brothers of Joseph,many coloured coat fame) . It is the desire to buy.
So probably you would perceive it as wrong to buy a Palestinian painting depicting the murderous events over a 6 year period following the entry into 'the land of Canaan' by Joshua and Co.
Historically, the value of art has always been to reflect the standards and norms of society. That those norms- or the artist - may later be seen as depraved, inhuman or grotesque simply validates the art.
A Hitler painting should be a good longterm investment as like it or not, he was the most influential figure in world history during the 20th century. There is an industry devoted to keeping his name associated with evil in a way which is not done with the likes of Stalin (our ally) who murdered 100s of millions including some with his own hands. The hysteria surrounding Hitler should ensure that anything connected with him remains of great interest to the world.
Churchill paintings sell for millions but I personally would be far more interested to see a Hitler painting and as suggested, the somewhat suppressed price makes for a good investment. Most people are more interested in 'the bad guy's stuff. I would love to have a nice pretty architectural painting or a landscape with a castle created by someone who was supposedly the most evil tyrant and human being who ever walked this planet. Fascinating!
Genuine Hitler items require good provenance and without this are worthless. They are best bought from a reputable Historic auction house in Germany.
Don't just mention nazi's and communist.
Check the lists of forbidden movies in different countries on wikipedia for instance...most or not nazi or communist countries.
Same goes for the censorship on the use of swear words in video clips....something the US has always taken the lead in for example.
A reclining Robbie Williams (naked) $750
BMW five series ascending hill at dawn $800
Lady Gaga on stage $1 000
Stena Line ferry leaving Kiel Harbour in winter $850
And many more. Special offer for today - only for members of the Sweden Democrat Party; buy one Hitler painting, and get another one completely free.
Joseph Stalin - was an avid puppeteer
Mussolini - glued pasta to make art and made his mother proud
Muammar Gaddafi - had his own line of designer uniforms
Pol Pot - made clay pots in his spare time for his people
and Napoleon Bonaparte made small little figureens of himself to feel larger.
Any offers , Kronfogden -----------------?
Selling something from someone who died 60+ years ago is not quite the same and unfortunately, or fortunately, we have not yet reached the point where we can free ourselves to embrace humour on this subject.
According to Kronfogden , the only important thing to consider is the price . Money , and nothing else is the issue here .
In my case , the letters are "hot" because the blood of the writers victims has not even dried .
Brilliant .. lol... so true and 100% agree with you..
@Kstock - my point exactly... who chooses which dictator's art is fine and which is not ... or is there a scale of dictatorship that Hitler surpassed ?
So the Jewish council wishes to dictate which art can be sold? True, what has happened around 1940 is not the pinnacle achievement of mankind (but then again any war is no achievement), but who are they to wanting to dictate ? history is history.. and don't they realize history can not be changed.. can not be influenced... it is what it was and will always be...
You can change the books, you can change the paintings (hide or burn them but his makes you no better than those you are trying to deface), but you can NEVER change the events that happened...
It may be difficult to live with some of the things that happened in the past... but all nations have done bad onto others.. even the Jewish.. occupying land, killing people there etc... depends from which angle you look at it you may argue they are right.. or they are wrong.. point is they too are doing things that are not in agreement with society today..
Live with the past, learn from it and embrace the future so you can strive to make it a better one...
My point is that if it is not okey to market items that belong to a man who massacred many innocent people in Norway , it cannot be okey to justify selling Hitler`s paintings.