The pursuit of art and culture has defined a generation and community for as long as humans could put color to wall (or an easel to canvas). While the Nazis stamped over the European front, art and culture fell to the racist hands of the Nazi army--and most of it has vanished immensely.
However, the righteous efforts of Doreen Carvajal have diligently brought to light some 150 pieces of missing art work from Jewish families implicated in the Final Solution.
It wasn't so much a crusade or self-fulfilling prophecy as much as it was an effort to rediscover and deliver the lost pieces to the rightful owners--or at least the rightful lineage.
Over the past 60 years, per Carvajal, the French returned 80 of the orphaned works to the owner's extended families. Some of the remaining 57 pieces still sit in museums like the Musée d'Orsay, unclaimed by their heirs.
A modern day Monuments Man, yes, Doreen Carvajal, with the help of the French government, have unwaveringly repaired and reported the works publicly to be reappropriated to the correct person.
Although the technology has aided in her efforts, the volume of works unclaimed seem to leave holes in genealogy and family trees.
The valiant efforts of Doreen and many other French art critics, teachers and insiders were able to refine their list of names--yet some works are still orphans.
But like Gilad Japhet, chief executive of MyHeritage.com, says: ""All you need is a lot of curiosity...a little bit of intellect, and some luck."
So while some pieces may never find a rightful home, at the very least, Carvajal and Mr. Japhet were able to right some wrongs of the past and help restore family history.
And yet, we still feel the weight and indiscretions of the Nazi party--even some 69 years after their unconditional surrender--as we try to, still, mend the damage done to six million plus families solely for their beliefs and heritage.
Before Doreen's discovery, a proverbial ton of art was rediscovered in Munich via Hitler's mansion.
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