The Rape of Europa (2007)

83% of critics liked it
(46 reviews)
90% of users liked it
(1,080 ratings)

Adolf Hitler spent years struggling to establish himself as an artist before his political ambitions rose to the surface and he brought the Nazi Party to power in Germany, and documentary filmmakers Richard Berge, Nicole Newnham, and Bonni Cohen offer a unique perspective on how Hitler's aesthetic… More Adolf Hitler spent years struggling to establish himself as an artist before his political ambitions rose to the surface and he brought the Nazi Party to power in Germany, and documentary filmmakers Richard Berge, Nicole Newnham, and Bonni Cohen offer a unique perspective on how Hitler's aesthetic viewpoint may have affected his nation's actions during World War II. The Rape of Europa examines the artistic tastes of Hitler and his leading advisors, and how they looted many of the great museums and private art collections of Europe during the course of World War II in order to stock museums built during the Third Reich (and benefit the collections of Germany's leaders). In addition, Axis forces actively participated in raids to destroy artwork and artifacts from nations and cultures Hitler regarded as "degenerate," serving as a curious parallel to "the Final Solution" that left six million dead. The film features rare newsreel footage and photographs documenting the Nazis' obsession with art; Joan Allen narrates. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 57 min.
Directed By: Richard Berge, Bonni Cohen
Written By: Bonni Cohen, Richard Berge, Nicole Newnham
Genres: Musical & Performing Arts, Documentary

In Theaters: Sep 14, 2007 Wide
On DVD: Sep 16, 2008
Studio: Menemsha Films

Critic Reviews

Roger Ebert, Denver Post
That Hitler was mad is well known. That he was mad about art, not so well.
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune
The Rape of Europa, an engrossing film based on Lynn Nicholas' 1995 book of the same name, offers a fascinating new perspective on an era that sometimes seems as if it has no more secrets.
Richard Nilsen, Arizona Republic
It's long for a documentary, almost two hours, but it has a big story to tell.
John Monaghan, Detroit Free Press
As thorough as the movie is, it could easily devote another hour to cases like this.
Philip Marchand, Toronto Star
There is a heart-rending feeling to this documentary, in part due to its sense of irretrievable loss.
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
Filmmakers Richard Berge, Bonni Cohen, and Nicole Newnham do a superb job of telling this neglected story in vivid detail.
Louis Proyect, rec.arts.movies.reviews
Outstanding documentary on the theft and destruction of European masterpieces up to and during WWII.
Kam Williams, NewsBlaze
A fascinating history lesson about a generally-overshadowed aspect of the Second World War.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
A sometimes intriguing, sometimes maddening essay in the realm of informational overkill.
Beth Accomando, KPBS.org
The Rape of Europa boasts a strong narration by Joan Allen as it explores a less familiar aspect of World War II and the legacy left by the Nazis.
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul), St. Paul Pioneer Press
The Rape of Europa is conventionally made, but it doesn't need cinematic sizzle because it's packed with so many fascinating factoids.
Phil Villarreal, Arizona Daily Star
The directors might have benefited by going smaller %u2014 for instance, focusing on two or three pieces of lost artwork and tracing their history. This art documentary simply isn't artful enough.
Larry Ratliff, San Antonio Express-News
It's a compelling journey into a soul-chilling past that might not be fully sorted out for generations to come.
Josh Bell, Las Vegas Weekly
Its lack of both style and focus keeps it from being a success as a feature film.
Tim Cuprisin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Rape of Europa presents iconic images that viewers who aren't schooled in European art will recognize. That's a good way to connect with the film and understand the enormity of the pillage by Hitler and his cronies.
Sean Means, Salt Lake Tribune
The movie's three directors sap the drama out of the story with slow pacing, a dispassionate accumulation of facts and a too-dry narration by Joan Allen.
Loey Lockerby, Kansas City Star
Narrated by Joan Allen, the film is a remarkably comprehensive look at the cultural destruction that accompanied the slaughter.
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times
This is a vast subject, ideally suited to a series of films. It's at its most moving when focusing on the small stories of individual artworks taken from their owners and restored to the families decades later.
Sean Axmaker, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
(T)his dense, dynamic documentary... takes on the high drama and difficult moral quandaries of Adolf Hitler's campaign to plunder the great artworks of Europe...

Read all 19 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Steve K

Fascinating look at the Nazi's treatment of art during the WW2 period.
Stella D

stunning. the story of how the nazis smashed and looted the art treasures of europe and the struggle to find and restore them.
Walter M

"The Rape of Europa" is a chillingly effective documentary that details the Nazi looting of art treasures across Europe during World War II. The film does a very good job with the help of rare footage in showing the Holocaust from another angle as the Nazis tried to rewrite… More
"The Rape of Europa" is a chillingly effective documentary that details the Nazi looting of art treasures across Europe during World War II. The film does a very good job with the help of rare footage in showing the Holocaust from another angle as the Nazis tried to rewrite history by erasing whole peoples and cultures before trying to make over Europe in their own image with their brand of evil ideology. However, playing up the whole failed artist angle is a misguided choice since Hitler was such a malignant person, he would see menace behind every decision, right or wrong. Anyway, the Nazis were less interested in art, than in anything of value which was not nailed down. By contrast, there were the unsung heroes who hid the masterpieces and the Monument Men who helped the Allies preserve as much of old Europe as possible while liberating countries. While all of this is fascinating, what the documentary could have used is more focus on the present day recovery efforts. Most art works were recovered but a lot are still missing, presumed lost forever. And even with the found art, there are complex questions concerning true ownership.
MJS M

A recent documentary about the pillaging of art by the Nazis during World War II. This was shortlisted for Best Documentary last year, and I think it was worthy. The film goes in chronological order starting with Germanies internal censorship, to what they did in Poland, and hen… More
A recent documentary about the pillaging of art by the Nazis during World War II. This was shortlisted for Best Documentary last year, and I think it was worthy. The film goes in chronological order starting with Germanies internal censorship, to what they did in Poland, and hen France (most of the stuff in The Louvre was saved), and finally Russia. The film then examines the challenges that the allies faced in trying to fight the Nazis without getting cultural masterpieces caught in the crossfire, as well as the activities of an allied task force dedicated to recovering and returning works of art. The film works first as a good history lesson and secondly as a philosophical discussion about who ultimately ?owns? priceless artwork, and whether those fighting the war should?ve been more careful about saving art.

Cast

Joan Allen
as Narrator

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The Rape of Europa (2007)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

Steve K

Stella D

Walter M

MJS M

Cast

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