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  2. Walter Horn papers, 1908-1992, bulk 1943-1950
  3. Series 3: U. S. Army Monuments, Fine Arts & Archives Section Files, circa 1938-1989

Walter Horn papers, 1908-1992, bulk 1943-1950

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Series 3: U. S. Army Monuments, Fine Arts & Archives Section Files, circa 1938-1989
0.6 Linear feet
Box 2-4, OV 5-6

Documentation of Walter Horn's World War II service during and immediately following World War II in U.S. Army Monuments, Fine Arts & Archives Section is found in this file. There are official Army reports and publications, interrogation and looting reports and inventories, scattered correspondence, printed materials, and a few photographs.
This series is arranged as 6 subseries:
  • 3.1: Correspondence, 1943-1947, 1972-1989
  • 3.2: Writings, circa 1945-1983
  • 3.3: Army Documents, 1943-1952, 1983
  • 3.4: Art Looting and Interrogation Reports, 1945-1946
  • 3.5: Printed Materials, circa 1938-1949, 1975-1983
  • 3.6: Photographs, 1945-1946

3.1

Correspondence, 1943-1947, 1972-1989
Correspondence in this series relates specifically to Horn's work in the MFAA Section. There is a letter from Erwin Panofsky regarding Horn's decision to volunteer for the U.S. Army and several letters from Charles J. Kunzelman, a retired army colonel, who was interested in Horn's MFAA work and was trying to get Horn an award for his recovery efforts, particularly for the Crown Jewels of the Holy Roman Empire and a large cache of gold coins. There is one letter from the wife of Helmuth von Hummel. Helmuth was the secretary of SS official Martin Bormann, and Horn discovered the location of the missing gold coins by questioning his wife Edeltraut.
Description Container
Board of Correction of Military Records, circa 1980
2
33
Buhler, Albert, 1972-1975
Oversized material housed in OV 5, Folder 3.
2
34
Fries, Liselotte, 1946
2
35
Kunzelman, Charles J., 1980
2
36
Kunzelman, Charles J., 1984
2
37
Odegaard, Charles E., circa 1945
2
38
Panofsky, Erwin, 1943
2
39
Potok, Isidor, circa 1945
2
40
Scheidler, Iris, 1947
2
41
von Hummel, Helmuth and Edeltraut, 1946
Originals of the photographs of Edeltraut and Helmuth von Hummel are filed in series 3.5.
2
42
Watson, Peter, 1989
2
43
Crown Jewels: Later Inquiries, 1976-1980
2
44
Oversized Newsclippings, 1972-1975
Oversized material from Box 2, Folder 34.
OV 5
3

3.2

Writings, circa 1945-1983
Found here are a few of Horn's lectures about his service as one of the Monuments Men and one folder of miscellaneous notes. There is also one folder with a typescript draft of a lecture about the restitution activities of the Monuments, Fine Arts & Archives section whose authorship is unknown.
Description Container
Miscellaneous Monuments Men Notes, circa 1945-1974
2
45
"War's Toll on Italian Art", circa 1950
2
46
"Nazi Art", circa 1950-circa 1980
2
47
Restitution Activities, circa 1950-circa 1960
This is a typescript draft of a lecture (first two pages missing) about Monuments Men recovery efforts and collecting points. Horn probably wrote this but the authorship is uncertain since the events described do not reflect Horn's activities or responsibilities as a Monuments Man.
2
48
"Wiesbaden Manifesto", 1950s
2
49
"The Finding of the Crown Jewels", 1965
2
50
"Recovery of Missing Crown Jewels", 1983
2
51

3.3

Army Documents, 1943-1952, 1983
Found here are official U.S. Army documents, publications, and reports. There is also an inventory of recovered gold coins and receipts for transporting recovered artwork.
Description Container
Army Directives, 1943-1946
2
52
Appointments and Promotions, 1943-1952
2
53
Certificates, 1944-1950
2
54
Miscellaneous Notes, circa 1945
2
55
Weisbaden Manifesto Protesting Removal of German-Owned Art to America, 1945
2
56
Receipts and Documents about Transporting Art, 1945-1946
2
57
Inventory of Missing Gold Coins for the Linz Museum, 1946
2
58
Organized Reserve Corps Documents, 1947-1951
2
59
Army Directory, 1948
2
60
Forms and Questionnaires, 1950-1951
Oversized material housed in OV 5, Folder 4.
2
61
Transcripts of interviews with Konrad Fries and Heinz Schmeissner, 1983
2
62
Oversized Reserve Officer Questionnaire, 1951
Oversized material from Box 2, Folder 61.
OV 5
4

3.4

Art Looting Investigation and Interrogation Reports, 1945-1946
Found here are the official army reports on investigations, interrogations and arrests. A few of the reports were written by Horn and include interrogations he conducted with prisoners of war. Nearly all of the reports relate to stolen artwork and cultural icons.
Description Container
"Collection of German Letters and Memoranda Pertaining to Confiscation of European Art Treasures", 1945
This folder contains a Monuments, Fine Arts & Archives section report with translations of letters and memoranda between Hitler and Nazi officials referring to looting artwork.
2
63
Dreykorn Report, "History of the Imperial Crown Jewels", 1945
2
64
Horn's Report on the Crown Jewels Investigation and Recovery, 1945
2
65
Illegal Transfer of Art Works from the Collection of Willi Sachs, 1945
2
66
War Room Publication: AMT III RSHA and the S.D. in Germany, 1945
2
67
Arrest Reports, 1945
2
68
Interrogation Reports by Lieutenant Hill, 1945
2
69
Interrogation Reports 7-9, 16, 1945
2
70
Interrogation Report about Wilfrid Kochert, circa 1945
2
71
Interrogation Reports, 1945-1946
2
72
Gold Treasure of Kremsmunster Report, 1946
Horn's original report to the U.S. Army.
2
73
Summary of Investigation of the Coin Collection, 1946
Original investigation report and copy along with 2 photostatic copies of a German document.
2
74
"A Trip to Ghetto Theresienstadt", circa 1946
Author of report unknown, possibly Colonel Charlie Ross. Ghetto Theresienstadt is a concentration camp.
2
75
"Das Schickel der Kulturgutbergung in den osterreichischen Salinen im Weltkrieg 1939-1945", circa 1946
2
76

3.5

Printed Materials, circa 1938-1949, 1975-1983
There are news clippings and articles about World War II and the activities of the Monuments Men. Miscellaneous items include a German publication containing an article and numerous images of the Imperial Regalia or Crown Jewels and a poster commemorating the recovery of the Holy Hand of St. Stephen, a sacred relic from Hungary also known as The Holy Right.
Description Container
Das Reichs Kleinodien, circa 1938
Oversized material housed in Box 4, Folder 8.
2
77
Commemorative Poster for the Return of the Holy Hand of St. Stephen, 1945
Oversized material housed in OV 5, Folder 5. The poster commemorates the return of The Holy Right or the Holy Hand of St. Stephen, a sacred relic which was looted by the Nazis along with the Crowl Jewels of Hungary (the Crown of St. Stephen, sceptre and orb).
2
78
Articles and News Clippings, circa 1945
2
79
Articles and News Clippings, 1946
Oversized material housed in OV 6, Folder 1.
2
80
Articles and News Clippings, 1947-1948
Oversized material housed in OV 6, Folder 2.
2
81
Articles and News Clippings, 1949, 1975-1983
Oversize material housed in OV 6, Folder 3.
2
82
Oversized Publication and Images of the Crown Jewels of the Holy Roman Empire, circa 1938
Oversized material from Box 2, Folder 77.
4
8
Oversized Commemorative Poster for the Return of the Holy Hand of St. Stephen, 1945
Oversized material from Box 2, Folder 78.
OV 5
5
Oversized Newspaper, 1946
Oversized material from Box 2, Folder 80.
OV 6
1
Oversized Articles and News Clippings, 1947-1948
Oversized material from Box 2, Folder 81.
OV 6
2
Oversized Articles and News Clippings, 1949, 1983
Oversized material from Box 2, Folder 82.
OV 6
3

3.6

Photographs, 1945-1946
Found here are scattered photographs relating to art recovery.
Description Container
Unidentified Soldiers with Box of Recovered Loot, circa 1945
2
83
Unidentified Couple, circa 1945
2
84
Helmuth and Edeltraut von Hummel, 1946
2
85
Crown Jewels of Hungary, circa 1946
Photograph shows the Holy Crown of St. Stephen, the sceptre, and the orb which were stolen from Hungary.
2
86

Make a Request

  • To request an appointment to view materials, make your selections using the checkboxes and click the "Reading Room" button. Please note, you will receive the full box.
  • To request reproductions, make your selections using the checkboxes and click the "Reproduction" button.