18 Dec. 45
read into the record the 500-odd masterpieces
catalogued in Document 1233-PS (Exhibit USA-377) or the many hundreds of
additional items catalogued in Document 1709-PS (Exhibit USA-378). Now
Document 1233-PS, which I hold in my hand, is a finely bound,
beautifully printed catalogue. in which Defendant Frank proudly lists
and describes the major works of art which he had plundered for the
benefit of the Reich. This volume was captured by the Monuments, Fine
Arts, and Archives Division of the 3rd United States Army and was found
in Frank's home near Munich. The introductory page describes the
thoroughness with which the Government General stripped Poland of its
cultural possessions. That is quoted in Document 1233-PS.
THE PRESIDENT: Will you hand that up?
COL. STOREY: I am quoting now from the introductory page, the English
translation. the first paragraph. I might say by way of explanation,
that this book lists the valuable art treasures by titles. I now quote
from the introductory page:
"By reason of a decree of 16 December
1939 by the Governor General of the occupied Polish territories, the
Special Commissioner for collecting objects of art and culture was
able to collect within 6 months almost all of the art objects of the
country, with one exception: a series of Flemish tapestries of the
Castle of Kraków. According to the latest information these are
now in France. so that it may be possible to secure these later."
Leafing through this catalogue, we find that it included references to
paintings by German, Italian, Dutch, French, and Spanish masters; rare
illustrated books; Indian and Persian miniatures; woodcuts; the famous
Veit Stoss hand-carved altar (created here in Nuremberg and purchased
for use in Poland); handicraft articles of gold and silver; antique
articles of crystal, glass, and porcelain; tapestries; antique weapons;
rare coins and medals. These articles were seized, as indicated in the
catalogue, from public and private sources, including the national
museums in Kraków and Warsaw, the cathedrals of Warsaw and
Lublin, a number of churches and monasteries, university libraries, and
a great many private collections of Polish nobility.
I wish now to offer in evidence the catalogue bearing our Number
1233-PS it is the one just introduced in evidence and the document
bearing our Number 1709-PS. This latter report, in addition to listing
the 521 major items described in the catalogue, lists many other items
which, though generally no less important from an artistic standpoint,
were, considered by the Germans to be of secondary importance from the
point of view of the Reich.