Report on visits, state of preservation, local conditions, removal by the enemy,...

Report on visits, state of preservation, local conditions, removal by the enemy, damage, looting, etc,

Photostat copy of a 121-page Field Report [No 15] on the MFA and A operations in France for the month of December 1944 including nine annexures, dated 3 February 1945. [See 220/603] Provides overview of MFA and A activity at SHAEF with details of staff and administration. According to MFA and A adviser Geoffrey Webb, 'the most interesting event in the course of the work of this Section was the visit of the Deputy Adviser to Alsace in consequence of the receipt of a captured German document giving the positions of Museum depots in that area' [described in a separate report]. With regard to the annexures, 'the most interesting feature [...] are the General Report on the first phase of operations at Aachen, submitted by the officers of First US Army, and the Special Report by Lieut. Stout on the cache of sculpture and painting found at Geilenkirchen. The Aachen report not only shows the nature of the improvised machinery that was set up to care for monuments but more importantly the beginning of a system for concentrating the art objects found in scattered "clutches" often in isolated places difficult to guard. [...] The Geilenkirchen report well illustrates the nature of these scattered caches and raises the question of the probability that many objects, and not necessarily looted objects only, may be elaborately concealed by the enemy as in the case of this accidentally discovered cache'.

As in the case of Field Report No16 [see above], a large section of this report concentrates on the issue 'of the control of billeting in historic buildings'.

The nine annexures provide a comprehensive overview of MFA and A activity in France and Belgium with reports from the First, Third and Ninth US Armies, the Second British Army, the US Communications Zone and British Line of Communications, the SHAEF Mission in Belgium and Stout's special report on Geilenkirchen.

Annexure I provides information on MFA and A investigations of historic monuments, churches and buildings in Luxembourg and Southeast Belgium, including details of museum collections of the area, including the Musee d'Histoire Naturelle, the Musee Historique [as written] and the Pescatore collection which included some 300-400 mainly French and Flemish paintings, stored in the countryside for protection against air raids. With regard to 'chance finds of paintings', the report refers to an oil painting on wood depicting a 'Village Kermess' [sic] which had been found in Krauthausen, Germany, and was initially believed to be the work of Pieter Brueghel, later identified as XVI century Flemish art, probably of the workshop of Pieter Brueghel the Elder. A collection of paintings had also been reported 'in a triplex of adjoining houses at Rotterdell, Rott, Kreis Monschau', where 'a considerable number of paintings, largely modern and of minor importance, were found, including a 'Buessende Magdalene' by Agostino Carracci and a small Madonna' of the school of Van Dyck. Further information refers to the state of conservation of the Luxembourg archives.

Excerpt from the MFA and A semi-monthly report within the area of the First US Army with information on works of art in the city of Aachen and in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Lists the German civilian staff of art experts available in the area and describes the establishment of an 'officially protected central repository office' in the Suermondt Museum whose cellars still housed the residue of the collections which had not been sent elsewhere, including framed paintings [not specified], maps, charts, sculptures in wood, plaster and metal, many valuable books and two cabinets of coins and medals. Provides 'a compilation and inspection of a supplemental list of monuments' in Aachen and Luxembourg and refers to the standard form of receipt which was agreed between the First US Army and Belgian authorities for the custody of works of art owned by the Germans and found on Belgian soil, kept in four main repositories: Ambleve and Medell, 'where collections from Aachen are stored' and Waimes and Eupen [see above, Field Report No 16]. Another collection of paintings, museum pieces and furniture [not specified] had been found in a hunting lodge in Schwarzfeld, about one and half miles south of Roetgen. Includes a list of public buildings and monuments and a list of the 'inscriptions' of Luxembourg by J. Meyers, Curator of the History Museum.

Annexure II consists of excerpts from reports by the Third US Army with details of Capt. Robert K. Posey's inspections of the historic monuments, buildings and churches of the Lorraine province, with brief information on their contents and details of the destruction of manuscripts and books belonging to the Metz Municipal Library, set on fire in September 1944 and whose remaining contents had been transported to Speyer.

Annexure III consists of excerpts from reports by the Ninth US Army providing information on the technical instructions provided to MFA and A specialist officers in the field and information on the library of the Jesuit Monastery in Valkenbeg, Limburg, which housed an Evacuation Hospital, and Castle Hoensbroek, restored in 1929 by the 'Ave Rex Christe' society. According to the Dutch Liaison Officer Dirrix, during the occupation the Germans never moved into the Castle and the society refused to allow some Dutch Nazi organisations to use the building.