Looting of Poland

A simple cover at a glance , but the stamps carry a very deep and poignant history ! Thanks Wojtek - for always choosing the most interesting stamps on your cover :) 

Lost works of Art - Poland - 2016 

The looting of Polish cultural artifacts during World War II was carried out by Nazi Germanyand the Soviet Union side by side after the invasion of Poland of 1939. 

Following the German invasion of Poland in September 1939 and the occupation of Poland by German forces, the Nazi regime attempted to suppress Polish culture. Thousands of art objects were plundered, as the Nazis carried out a plan put in place before the start of hostilities. In addition to the official looting by Nazi authorities, some looting was also carried out by individuals acting on their own initiative; in fact Mühlmann complained as early as on October 6, 1939, that many items he was tasked to secure had already been moved or simply stolen. While the Nazis kept extensive documentation of newly acquired looted art pieces, the system was not foolproof, and they lost track of much of the looted goods during the increasingly haphazard evacuation of Polish territories in 1944. Some art was shipped to German museums, such as the planned Führermuseum in Linz, while other art became the private property of Nazi officials. The total cost of the Nazi theft and destruction of Polish art is estimated at 11.14 billion dollars (value in 2001 dollars).

The looted art included 11,000 paintings by Polish painters; 2,800 paintings by other European painters; 1,400 sculptures; 75,000 manuscripts; 25,000 maps, 22,000 books printed before 1800 (starodruki); 300,000 graphics, and hundreds of thousands of other items of artistic and historical value. The number of looted or destroyed books is estimated at 1.5 million to as high as 15 or 22 million. Even exotic animals were taken from the zoos. Robbery of Polish Jews and looting of their property became the norm. In every town and village, Jews were forced to hand over not merely gold, currency and other valuables, but virtually anything consumable, including furniture and clothing. Even items such as birdcages, door handles and hot-water bottles were looted. Any excuse, or none at all, became the pretext for extortion.

After the Soviet Union invaded Poland on September 17, 1939, it similarly engaged in the looting and destruction of the Polish cultural heritage. It is estimated that soon after the invasion, about half of Polish museums and similar public institutions were dismantled in the territories occupied by the Soviets. The Soviet forces engaged in particularly extensive plunder in the former eastern territories of Germany that were to be transferred to Poland, stripping them of any piece of equipment left behind. Individual Red Army soldiers were also allowed to send home "war trophies", with the weight depending on their rank, which resulted in widespread looting of private houses of anything valuable, including food, clothes, shoes, radios, jewelry, utensils, clothes, bicycles, and even ceramic toilet bowls. 

A Shepard with a whip in the Meadow - Josef Chelmonski 

Auto portrait - Alexandar Gierymski 

Portrait of the Artist’s wife Olga -Leon Chwistek 

I have a fascination for world war - two stories and novels ! They have always stirred very deep emotions within me - the plight of the common man / Jews when the Nazis and Communists invaded towns after towns - parents who had to see their children removed forcibly - men who had to endure their ladies being dragged away - to lose their life’s fortunes - to be enslaved in their own country - and to be burnt alive / raped and tortured .. the mere thoughts sends shivers down my back ! To read these stories of plundering of art works in Poland , gives me the same chills ! It is nothing but raping of a nation !! 

And all this happened , not long ago - just 70 years ago ! Mankind , now and forever , should re visit this history and learn very important lessons - War is never an answer to any problem !! 

My heart goes out to each and every family who had to endure these struggles - Poland and elsewhere ! And I hope all their souls rest in Peace ! 

I dream of a day - when Poland , even if it doesn’t recover its lost art works , creates more splendid works  that puts the looters to shame ! The Art works - looted or otherwise - even if hanging in museums of Germany,  erstwhile Soviet states or in auction houses - will always speak of the greatness of the Poles ! 

No other stamps of the anniversaries of the Great War or World War Two - created such an emotional storm inside me as this one !!