Robert Edsel on The Monuments Men, the heroic Rose Valland, and Recovering WWII Stolen Art

Women, Books & More sits down with author Robert Edsel, whose groundbreaking research brought the true story of the Monuments Men to a global audience—and ultimately to the screen in George Clooney’s acclaimed film The Monuments Men, featuring an ensemble cast including Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Bob Balaban, Hugh Bonneville, and Cate Blanchett.

The film The Monuments Men introduced many viewers to a lesser-known but profoundly important chapter of World War II history—the Allied mission to protect and recover Europe’s stolen cultural heritage. Alongside films such as Good Night, and Good Luck, it reflects a powerful focus on moral urgency and humanity in times of war.

Watch The Monuments Men on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV, and other streaming platforms.

Robert Edsel is also the founder of the Monuments Men and Women Foundation, an organization that continues the urgent work of locating, identifying, and returning art stolen by the Nazis during WWII to its rightful owners. monumentsmenandwomenfnd.org

In this conversation, we explore:

• Who the Monuments Men were and how the Allied effort to save Europe’s cultural heritage began
• How Robert Edsel uncovered and researched this largely forgotten history
• The ongoing mission to recover and repatriate stolen artwork through the Foundation
• The translation and significance of Rose Valland’s diary and her pivotal role in preserving European art during the war
• Edsel’s recent book Remember Us: American Sacrifice, Dutch Freedom, and a Forever Promise Forged in World War II, which explores the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, where more than 8,000 American service members are buried and honored by generations of Dutch families who continue to care for their graves
• https://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries-memorials/about-netherlands-american-cemetery/