Roberta Shayo will present Art Under Siege in WWII, an in-depth exploration of the trajectory of events culminating in the vast displacement and confiscation of art during WWII.

To view the topic in historical context, our discussion begins with an overview of contemporary art in Germany immediately before WWI. With the rise of the Nazis, this art was targeted as “degenerate” and exploited as a propaganda tool to promote Nazi ideology and demonize the Jews. Ultimately, Hitler’s obsession with art fueled the motive and mechanism for systematic art plunder by the Nazis. Poignant themes of memory and loss resonate in ongoing debates over the restitution of Nazi looted art.

The series highlights efforts by the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives branch of the Allied Forces (aka Monuments Men and Women) to safeguard art in WWII’s theatre of war. There is renewed interest in WWII’s Monuments Men and Women given contemporary threats to cultural heritage in Ukraine and other regions enduring conflict and disruption.

Roberta Shayo is thrilled to offer her course, Art Under Siege in WWII to Beacon Hebrew Alliance. She taught the course most recently for continuing education divisions of the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Virginia. Roberta has created and taught courses for numerous academic institutions throughout the USA and finds connecting with others in the spirit of lifelong learning enriching beyond measure.

This class will be held over Zoom, you must register to receive Zoom meeting information.

Adult Learning classes are FREE for BHA Members, please log in to your BHA account.  Non-Member pricing is $72.00 for all 5 sessions, or $36.00 for the Open Gates option.* 

*On principle, BHA does not turn people away for financial reasons; at the same time, we can only continue to operate because of the funds received from our members and supporters. To try and balance these needs, we have instituted an Open Gates fee option - on the honor system, if you are facing financial difficulties, please select the Open Gates Fee Option for reduced fees.