fall 2016 issue no.98 Facade A Publication of the Cleveland Restoration Society 98 Modern-Day Monuments Woman to Speak at Community Luncheon By Kathleen Crowther Dr. Laurie Rush, a cultural his- The officers of the program, both torian with the US Army, is the men and women, were art his- featured speaker at the Cleveland torians, museum directors, and Restoration Society’s 2017 Com- architectural conservators, who munity Luncheon on Thursday, risked their lives to protect and March 2. Dr. Rush is an interna- reclaim great artworks being sto- tional expert on the protection of len by the Nazis. Importantly, and cultural heritage during times of not as well known, this team also armed conflict. She has been called protected libraries and scientific a modern day Monuments Woman collections and developed maps because of her work related to pro- to help the Allies avoid damaging tecting heritage sites in the Middle world monuments, historic and East. ancient town centers, museums and archeological sites. Movie star The Start of the Monuments Men George Clooney co-wrote and di- As World War II was being fought rected The Monuments Men to on multiple fronts, America’s cul- portray a small aspect of this real tural leaders convinced President life endeavor. The movie premiered Franklin Roosevelt to create a in 2014. government entity dedicated to the The important idea behind the protection of art and cultural ma- creation of the Roberts Commis- terials. The American Commission sion was that great accomplish- for the Protection and Salvage of ments of civilizations across the Artistic and Historic Monuments world are important to all people, in War Areas, also known as the not just those who created them. Roberts Commission because of That reconciliation and peace fol- its chairman Supreme Court Jus- lowing a conflict are more likely to tice Owen Roberts, was formed be achieved if those places of cul- in 1943. Out of this commission tural worth and proof of human came the military’s Monuments, dignity are respected during the Fine Arts, and Archives (MFAA) conflict. program - the Monuments Men. World War II resulted in dev- CRS members walked through the amazing spaces of 925 Euclid Avenue, for- merly known as the Huntington Building, this summer on a free SNOOP! tour. The large building is undergoing a transformation into mixed-use property Photo by Anita T. Orenick Anita T. by Photo with a hotel, office space, apartments, and retail. Serving the PreServation Community of Cleveland SinCe 1972 2 I Façade 98 Editor astating losses in terms of human tion was passed in 1954. During 98 Kerri Broome life. The conflict also destroyed times of peace, it was reasoned, the Anthony W. Hiti, AIA vast amounts of cultural heritage. international community has the Chair, Board of Trustees acade The destruction of ancient sites, moment to ponder the importance F Staff Kathleen H. Crowther medieval towns, great cathedrals, of global cultural heritage and put President libraries, museums and collec- in place standards to protect it in Thomas A. Jorgensen tions hurt the heart and soul of the future. Chief Operating Officer individuals and their communities. This international treaty was Trudy Andrzejewski Heritage Home ProgramSM Assistant Today, the bombed-out Coventry the first of its kind dedicated exclu- Ann Bish Cathedral in England stands in sa- sively to the protection of heritage. Business & Finance Manager cred memorial to 1940, when the The signers of the Convention Kerri Broome Director of Development & Publications church was hit by a blitz of Ger- were approximately 43 countries, Elizabeth Cardarelli man bombs that also ravaged most with more to follow in succeed- Heritage Home ProgramSM Assistant of the city. The cathedral has be- ing years. It was agreed that, dur- Jobadiah Christiansen come an international center for ing times of conflict, the destruc- Membership & Technology Assistant reconciliation, a place of reflection. tion of moveable and immoveable Colin Compton Heritage Home ProgramSM Associate Thus the ruin and its current use heritage in its many forms would Michael Fleenor is a symbol of man’s power to de- be avoided. It was acknowledged Director of Preservation Services struct and to rebuild, both stones that by doing so, the ultimate goal Margaret Lann and lives (www.coventrycathedral. of peace is more likely able to be Heritage Home ProgramSM Associate org.uk). grasped. The interpretation of Jeff Marks Warsaw, the capital of Poland, heritage was wide. It included ar- Construction Specialist chitectural monuments and artistic Dean Pavlik lay in ruins by 1944, 85% de- Preservation Construction Manager stroyed. Hitler’s special force tar- treasures, but also books, archeo- Richard Stanovich geted the destruction of the Old logical sites and scientific collec- Construction Specialist Town and Warsaw’s museums, tions. The treaty expressly prohib- libraries, monuments and govern- ited the confiscation of the “spoils Cleveland Restoration Society Sarah Benedict House ment buildings. After the war, it of war,” the privilege of the victor 3751 Prospect Avenue Cleveland, Ohio 44115-2705 became a national imperative to to plunder the conquered nation. (216) 426-1000 reconstruct Warsaw’s historic old A protocol was created that re- www.clevelandrestoration.org center, exactly as it was. Overseen quired the repatriation of materials The views expressed in this publication are removed to their country of origin. those of their authors and not necessarily by the Warsaw Reconstruction those of the Cleveland Restoration Society, Office, the goal was to save the The aspirations of this Convention its trustees, or its membership. The Cleveland Restoration Society is an remaining structures and replicate set the stage for global attention to official partner of the National Trust for the rest. Scientific methods were the protection of cultural property. Historic Preservation. used during the process to ensure The Cleveland Restoration Society is supported in part by the residents of accuracy. A large inventory of World Heritage Destruction in the Cuyahoga County through a public grant documentation was indispensable. Middle East Today from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. This approach influenced the field Today, it is with anguish that the of cultural heritage. Today the Old civilized world now witnesses the Town is valued because of its role intentional destruction of cultural in healing the hurt and reclaiming heritage in war zones like Syria the memory of the city (http://whc. and Iraq. Now with advanced unesco.org/en/list/30). technology, terrorists film their destruction and post the inflam- International Convention in 1954 matory and heartbreaking videos In an effort to avoid the painful on YouTube. Who can forget the loss of cultural heritage, an in- images of power tools chiseling the ternational agreement called the faces of an Assyrian winged bull Convention for the Protection of in Mosul or the planting of dyna- Cultural Property in the Event of mite and the resulting explosion Armed Conflict with Regulations that toppled the Temple of Bel in for the Execution of the Conven- Palmyra? These acts of barbarism 2 I Façade 98 Following the creation of the Roberts Commission in 1941, lists of sites and monuments deemed off-limits were developed. Notices like this were posted on many culturally and historically significant buildings and public spaces. Mont Saint-Michel in France, shown here in 1944, was one such historic site marked as off-limits. James J. Rorimer Papers, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., Gallery Archives. 28MFAA-J9_17261_B19F Gallery Archives. D.C., Gallery National of Art, Washington, Papers, Rorimer James J. Façade 98 I 3 attract media attention to terror- pressed outrage at this destruction ist groups, a primary motive. It and vandalism, but little seems to also robs the local community be able to be done to stop it. In of the proof of their human ac- 2014, Secretary of State John Kerry complishments, thus intentionally announced an academic partner- erasing heritage and demoralizing ship with the State Department to the “conquered.” To fuel their document conditions and threats budgets, cultural heritage is being and to assess protection needs. plundered and sold on the black UNESCO Director-General Irina market. Artifacts from museums Bokova had repeatedly condemned are stolen, ancient burial sites are the destruction of heritage at the plundered, all for material to be hands of terrorists, some of which smuggled out and sold. This loot- she calls war crimes. The primary ing and selling helps finance the glimmer of hope for preservation terrorists operations, thus far not is that academics from various shown on camera. Sadly, despite disciplines are using digital tech- Frederick Hartt Papers, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., Gallery Archives. Gallery Archives. D.C., Gallery National of Art, Washington, Hartt Papers, Frederick 28MFAA-D8_13994_002 the Conventions of The Hague, nologies, scanners and cameras, to A small number of Monuments Men updated since 1954, enforcement create records of these monuments worked in Italy during the war. Lieu- tenant Frederick Hartt, an expert in is non-existent. for potential reconstruction and Italian Renaissance art, was one of Recent responses from scholars so that future generations have a the officers stationed there. and government leaders have ex- glimpse into the past. E Charles Parkhurst Papers, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., Gallery Archives. 28MFAA-F8_14269_10. Gallery Archives. D.C., Gallery National of Art, Washington, Papers, Charles Parkhurst As American troops were able to move into Germany, MFAA officers began to uncover the locations of hidden art and antiquities by the Nazis. In total, more than 1,000 sites were discovered and the Monuments Men were responsible for securing the valuable art and cultural pieces that were found. Captain James Rorimer is shown here at Schloss Neuschwanstein in 1945 with objects that had been taken from the Maurice Rothschild collection.