Winter 2010-2011 MIRROR Newsletter
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THE MIRROR The Richmond Museum Association Newsletter Winter 2010 -- 2011 RICHMOND RESIDENT RECOVERS “HITLER’S HOLY RELICS” by Jim Becker Richmond’s was on the cross), and the Crown Jewels of the Holy Roman history during Empire, a crown, orb, scepter and imperial sword. Hitler, like World War II is well rulers from Charlemagne to Napoleon before him, planned to use documented. Not these art objects as a rallying point for the creation of a new so well-known was state; in this case a Fourth Reich. the heroic work of Captain Walter When the U.S. Seventh Army invaded Nuremberg, they un- Horn, a Richmond covered the vault, but the Spear of Destiny and the Crown Jew- resident whose ex- els had been stolen. These relics were all crucial to the corona- ploits are now docu- tion of a new Emperor, and Nazi records indicated that they had mented in the book been in the vault, but who had stolen them, and why? Hitler’s Holy Relics by Sidney Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower Kirkpatrick. ordered Walter Horn to hunt down the missing treasures. Due to SEE HORN, CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 Walter Horn was born in Waldangelloch, The Crown of the Holy Roman Empire Germany, in 1908. A student of art history, Horn received his Ph.D. from Hamburg University in 1937. His strong and vocal opposition to Hitler’s National Socialist Party led him and many other Germans to emi- grate to the United States, invited by Professors Worth Ryder and Erwin Panofsky. He moved to Richmond, California, and became a visiting lecturer at the University of California at Berke- ley in 1939. His ability to engage students and his work in the study of medieval art and architecture led to an appointment as assistant professor within the year. When war broke out against Germany and Japan, Horn be- came a U.S. citizen and joined the Army to fight Hitler and the Nazis. He was assigned to General George S. Patton’s 3rd Army in Europe and because of his art background, became part of the Chevron employees worked on the ship during the Third Army Intelligence Center, responsible for the recovery of Week of Caring the treasures the Nazis had stolen as they looted their way through Europe. CALENDAR: PLAN TO COME The Nazis kept very detailed records of all of the art they had stolen, which made the work of recovering the art a matter of Now through Feb. 13th -- Exhibit “Historical finding the records and then following the records to recover the Treasures: 100th Anniversary of the Carnegie items. Reichsfuhrer Heinrich Himmler, anticipating the allied in- Building” (See p. 2) Museum vasion of Germany, built a secret bunker under Nuremberg Castle Sunday, Jan. 30th -- Annual Meeting, 2 p.m. to house those artifacts most valued by Hitler: the Spear of Des- Museum (See Agenda p. 5) tiny (believed to be the spear that pierced Christ’s side while he THE CARNEGIE BUILDING HITS 100 by Clare Fischer An enthusiastic group of guests assembled Guests toured the garden and newly-placed on the grounds of the Richmond Museum of His- markers that serve as monuments to tory on November 14th to mark the 100th anniver- Richmond’s civic life. (Note article in this issue sary of the Carnegie Building. More than 100 people describing the garden.) They viewed “Histori- enjoyed the Museum’s program that included for- cal Treasures: 100th Anniversary of the mal remarks, unveiling of the newly-installed His- Carnegie Building” currently installed in the torical Monuments and Rose Garden, the opening Seaver Gallery and studied a diverse array of of an exhibit of historical artifacts and a reception objects illuminating Richmond’s history be- on the patio. tween 1870 and 1910 including photographs, documents, garments and paintings. The dis- John Ziesenhenne, Vice President of the Rich- play, selected from the Museum’s unique ar- mond Museum Association, welcomed the guests chives, offers viewers a visual account of and provided an informative introduction to the Richmond’s early cultural and civic life. A cer- Carnegie Building’s history, noting the importance tificate signed by President Theodore of community commitment to a public library in Roosevelt appointing the first woman postmis- 1910 and the eventual establishment of the Rich- tress of Richmond, bank records from the Bank mond Museum of History in 1962. Standing in front of Richmond, and newspaper articles reporting of the flag and the white chrysanthemum-bedecked the dedication of the Carnegie building are entrance to the Carnegie Building, Ziesenhenne MC John Ziesenhenne among the notable documents on display in introduced the participants of the flag-raising cer- the Gallery until February 13, 2011. emony (Troop 146, sponsored by the Richmond Elks Club), and recognized civic leaders who had come to the “birthday party.” The Carnegie Building’s party was in every respect festive. Richmond’s well-known muralist John Wehrle elaborated on the Thanks to Kaiser Permanente for a grant to support the patio title of his talk, “Take Your Place in History,” noting the important reception featuring tasty finger foods, wine and soft drinks, and role the Museum’s collection has played for him in creating vi- a chocolate birthday cake. Guitarist Lloyd Gregory, a well-known sual interpretations of Richmond’s story. He encouraged listen- jazz artist, performed throughout the afternoon, and added a spe- ers to use the materials placed in the Museum’s care and learn cial sense of celebration to the day. about the riches of the city’s history. If you missed the party, watch for “reruns” on KCRT, Chan- nel 28 in Richmond. We thank Cecily McMahan and the crew. GREETERS WANTED -- ONE DAY A MONTH. The Red Oak Victory ship is open for visitors on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and there are many volunteers working at many jobs on those days. But sometimes when visi- tors come aboard there is no one to tell them that they can do a self-guided tour or to call one of the volunteer docents or even to tell the visitors where the important things are like the heads or the Gift Shop. To volunteer or get more information about being a greeter (or other volunteer opportunities), call Lorraine or Marjorie at (510) 237-2933 during open hours or leave a message. “Take Your Place in History,” a mural by John Wehrle for There are many jobs on the Red Oak that involve a long-past Museum Day celebration, and commissioned hard work. This is not one of them. You might bring your by the City of Richmond, was fun for guests at the 100th knitting or a book to while away the time between visi- Birthday of the Carnegie Building. Here with Board tors. You might find that it is such a pleasant way to pass members playing all the parts. Photo by Ellen Gailing. the time you’ll want to be a Greeter more often! - 2 - UNVEILING THE HISTORICAL MONUMENTS AND ROSE GARDEN by Clare Fischer On the occasion of the Carnegie Building’s centennial cel- Four partly moss-covered boulders are carefully placed in ebration on November 14th, the area adjacent to the Museum’s the garden, each displaying an inscribed plaque. Two boulders patio was formally unveiled as the Historical Monuments and (one in English, one in Japanese) offer identical information com- Rose Garden of the Richmond Museum of History. Visitors to the memorating the Rotary Club’s 20th anniversary (in 1982) of friend- Museum will now experience an aesthetically pleasing and his- ship between Richmond and Shimada. A third is engraved with torically informative entrance to the 100-year-old building that the names of Richmond’s “Man of the Year” listing 23 names of houses a unique the city’s leaders between 1947 and 1970. The fourth boulder is archive of Richmond’s engraved with the name of the garden. Neatly assembled bricks history. Attention to secured from the original Richmond Plunge and manufactured earlier days of the by Richmond Brickworks in 1927 add to the garden’s mix of com- city’s shared cultural memorative objects. Perhaps the most dramatic fixture is a late life will be assured with 19th-century gravestone that memorializes the life of two mem- the placement of a di- bers of the Tormey family. An article about the discovery and verse number of monu- donation to the Museum of this unusual historical object will be ments now located at published in the next issue of The MIRROR. the site. Rose bushes, honoring the long his- Other important monuments “planted” in or alongside the tory of Japanese garden are two restored hitching posts and concrete impres- American nurseries of sions of tools and a horseshoe associated with an early Rich- Richmond, adorn the mond blacksmith shop. Adjacent to the Museum’s front entrance grounds. Many hands is the 4,000-pound SS Red Oak Victory anchor. Transporting and contributed to the creation of this garden including Vince’s Land- positioning this object was a major feat that involved the efforts scaping and Simply Perfect Designs, volunteers from the SS Red of Cliff Warren and Jerry Souza of the ROV Deck crew and the Oak Victory and the Richmond Parks Department. Bragg Crane and Rigging Company. Other crew volunteers (Ray Sitton, George Coles, Ed Collins, Dick Dickenson, and John Witle) assisted in activities that insured the completion of the garden and success of the celebration. Ceramic and tile pieces from the artists of NIAD (National Institute of Art and Disabilities) provide additional color and beauty to the garden and patio.