Soviet Stolen Art From Nazis and others--WW2
Michael
Apparently the Russians don't realize that they are not Jewish (as a
group) and thus are not entitled to 'victim' status during World War 2
as the Jews are.
If you are a White Person and getting fed up with this nonsense please
visit:
and help begin restoring hope and sanity to a world gone mad.
Notable quote from the article below: " Many Russians, however,
regard the art and documents as FAIR PAYMENT for the ravages of the
Second World War, in which as many as 27 million Soviet citizens may
have perished. " (emphasis in Caps are mine. M)
Somebody tell 'em. It only works for Holocaust(tm) sanctioned Jews.
From the New York Times--5/14/97
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Russian Parliament Overrides Yeltsin Veto Concerning Looted Art
May 14, 1997
By MICHAEL R. GORDON
MOSCOW -- The Russian Parliament has taken the extraordinary step of
overriding a presidential veto in order to hold onto millions of
dollars of art and historical documents taken by the Soviet troops
during the Second World War, Russian news agencies reported on Tuesday
evening.
The move is certain to create new tensions in Moscow's relations with
Western Europe, whose nations have been pressing for the return of art
treasures and government archives. Their appeals, however, fell on
deaf ears in a parliament that is more attuned to nationalist passions
than to the niceties of international relations.
The veto was also a stinging rebuke to President Boris Yeltsin.
Yeltsin has been involved in a round of high-level telephone
consultations over the future relationship between Russia and NATO and
has been striving to maintain close ties with Western leaders,
particularly with the German chancellor, Helmut Kohl.
Last month, the upper house of parliament deferred its vote so not to
embarrass Yeltsin during a visit to Germany. But representatives later
cast their votes by mail after the parliament went out of session.
On Tuesday, Russian news agencies reported that more than 135
deputies had voted to override the veto, supplying the required
two-thirds of the upper house. The more populist lower house voted to
overturn the veto earlier this year by the commanding margin of 308 to
15.
Yeltsin had already signaled that he would challenge a veto in
Russia's Constitutional Court, arguing that it would be inconsistent
with international law and could hamper Russian efforts to retrieve
its own lost artwork.
The Soviet Union acquired the looted art and documents a half century
ago when Soviet troops swept through eastern and central Europe. Nazi
Germany had seized government archives and works of art when it
occupied Europe, and the victorious Soviet soldiers acquired much of
this stolen art, as well as German collections.
The Pushkin State Museum in Moscow and the Hermitage in St. Peterburg
are full of the so called "trophy art," including works by Rembrandt,
Matisse, Van Gogh, Francisco de Goya, and Renior. The Russians also
acquired a Gutenberg Bible, as well as Trojan treasures recovered by
the German archeologist Heinrich Schliemann in 1873.
In addition, Russian officials hold captured government archives from
Germany, France, and other Western European nations at a formerly
closed archive that is now accessible to international scholars. Many
French documents have been returned, but thousands of other documents
still languish on the shelves.
For decades, Soviet possession of much of the looted art and
government archives was kept secret. But after the Soviet Union
collapsed, Russian officials began to acknowledge the extent of their
collection.
Diplomats and Western scholars have argued that the art and documents
should be returned. The Council of Europe put Moscow on notice that it
expected it to negotiate the return of "cultural property" when it
admitted Russia into the organization.
Many Russians, however, regard the art and documents as fair payment
for the ravages of the Second World War, in which as many as 27
million Soviet citizens may have perished.
The hold that the war still has on the public mind was vividly
demonstrated last week during the emotional celebration of the
anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.
Fearful of interfering with the construction of an underground
shopping center near Red Square, the Kremlin dispensed with a parade
of tanks and heavy weapons. But young cadets marched proudly through
Red Square, as Yeltsin stood on a reviewing stand in front of the
Lenin mausoleum. Elderly veterans gathered at the sprawling Victory
Park. Television broadcasts were dominated by patriotic films and the
day was capped by a city-wide fireworks display.
Even during less celebratory weeks, many Russians are unapologetic
that their best museums are filled with captured art.
Some Russian scholars draw a distinction between returning art and
documents to Western nations that fought against the Nazis (which they
support) and returning collections to Germany (which they insist is
politically difficult).
But no Western leader is closer to Yeltsin than Kohl and Germany is
an important trading partner. And the nationalist impulse to hang on
to all of the art is at odds with Russia's desire to be accepted into
Western economic and international institutions.
end of article
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natio...@juno.com
Michael
"http://www.natall.com"
National Vanguard Books
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