Dirk Hannema, Director of the Boijmans Museum, was the subject of a recent NYT article entitled: In a Netherlands Museum Director, the Nazis Found an Ally .
In 1946 the Office of Strategic Services Art Looting Investigation Unit (ALIU) published a series of reports that included a description of Dirk Hannema's role in the looted art trade, calling him the "principal collaborator in Dutch art world. Member of the Seyss-Inquart organisation. Adviser to Goering on art exchanges with Kroeller-Mueller. Believed to be in Dutch custody (May 1945)."*
The Seyss-Inquart organisation, of which Hannema was a member was a notorious Nazi looting organisation(1). His name appeared in connection to other known art looters in The ALIU Red Flag List of Names. Its leaders were recommended for trial as war criminals.
VLUG Report, page 30.
The Vlug Report 25 December 1945 by Jean Vlug, of the Royal Netherlands Army for the Fine Arts (Special Services) section of the Dutch Restitution Committee
"He agreed with Müllmann's proposal that a commission of two Dutchmen and one German should fix the value of the paintings as a basis for the exchange and with the supplementary decision of the Kroller-Müller foundation with regards to the extension of the Park.
The commission consisted of:
Dr. Hannema, Van Deventer and Plietzsch."
- VLUG REPORT, hand delivered.
see.
VLUG Part 1: Click download PDF VLUG 1
VLUG Part 2: Click download PDF VLUG 2
VLUG Part 3: Click download PDF VLUG 3
VLUG Part 4: Click download PDF VLUG 4
VLUG Part 5: Click download PDF VLUG 5
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"there can be no question of his reinstatement."
- NARA M1944. Records of the American Commission for the Protection and Salvage of Artistic and Historic Monuments in War Areas, 1943-1946. (Declassified 2002)
see also: Art Looting Investigation Reports:
Muehlmann, Kajetan. Peuerbach, Austria. Austrian national. Leading early Nazi who held the position of Staatssekretaer and Fine Arts Minister under the Seyss-Inquart Anschluss government. Head of the official bureau for ‘securing and safeguarding of art and cultural treasures ‘ in Poland and Holland under Frank and Seyss-Inquart. Director of the Dienststolle Muehlmann. SS officer and the individual most responsible for organised German art looting in Holland and Poland. Recommended by this Unit for trial as a war criminal, and for exploitation by the French, Polish and Dutch governments in connection with restitution matters. In American custody, 20 September 1945 at Civilian Internment Camp 7A, Peuerbach/Linz, Austria.
Plietzsch, Dr Eduard. Berlin, Meineckestrasse 9. Art historian and specialist in Dutch painting. Author of a book on Vermeer. With Kieslinger, most important professional member of the Dientstelle Muehlmann in Holland. Consultant for Dutch and Flemish painting to the Goering Collection, and reported involved in the confiscation of the Mannheimer Collection and the sale of the Mendelssohn Collection. Buyer and adviser to Seyss-Inquart. In custody in British Zone, September 1945. Believed interrogated extensively by the Dutch services.
After the war, Dr. Dirk Hannema had a successful career.
According to the Dictionary of Art Historians, "Following his release, in 1947, Hannema continued to work as an art collector and as the curator of his private collection, which he opened for the public in Weldom Castle in Goor. In 1958 he relocated the collection to Castle Het Nijenhuis in Heino, after having created, in 1957, the foundation Hannema-de Stuers Fundatie, named in honor of his parents. Hannema continued broadening his collection and serving as its curator until his death in 1984. Hannema's pre-war directorship contributed to the international importance of Museum Boymans."
*see also: http://www.lostart.de/Content/051_ProvenienzRaubkunst/DE/Verantwortliche/H/Hannema,%20Dirk.html
https://www.fold3.com/image/273355220
https://www.fold3.com/image/273703050
https://www.fold3.com/image/269986171
https://www.fold3.com/image/273524221
Plietzsch, Dr Eduard. Berlin, Meineckestrasse 9. Art historian and specialist in Dutch painting. Author of a book on Vermeer. With Kieslinger, most important professional member of the Dientstelle Muehlmann in Holland. Consultant for Dutch and Flemish painting to the Goering Collection, and reported involved in the confiscation of the Mannheimer Collection and the sale of the Mendelssohn Collection. Buyer and adviser to Seyss-Inquart. In custody in British Zone, September 1945. Believed interrogated extensively by the Dutch services.
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After the war, Dr. Dirk Hannema had a successful career.
According to the Dictionary of Art Historians, "Following his release, in 1947, Hannema continued to work as an art collector and as the curator of his private collection, which he opened for the public in Weldom Castle in Goor. In 1958 he relocated the collection to Castle Het Nijenhuis in Heino, after having created, in 1957, the foundation Hannema-de Stuers Fundatie, named in honor of his parents. Hannema continued broadening his collection and serving as its curator until his death in 1984. Hannema's pre-war directorship contributed to the international importance of Museum Boymans."
https://www.fold3.com/image/273355220
https://www.fold3.com/image/273703050
https://www.fold3.com/image/269986171
https://www.fold3.com/image/273524221
