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Quiz about Steal This Quiz
Quiz about Steal This Quiz

Steal This Quiz!


The quizzes on Funtrivia could be considered works of art. This quiz will look at some of the works of art that were stolen, lost, and destroyed during World War II and some of those persons involved.

A multiple-choice quiz by dcpddc478. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
dcpddc478
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
336,331
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
772
Awards
Top 35% Quiz
Last 3 plays: Guest 1 (7/10), Guest 2 (8/10), Guest 216 (5/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. What kind of unusual wood was used for the statues contained in "The Altarpiece of Veit Stoss" was the largest Gothic altarpiece when it was stolen from Poland, in 1941? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Vincent Van Gogh's painting "Portrait of Dr. Gachet" was confiscated from the Städtische Galerie in Frankfurt by the Third Reich's Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda and then sold to an art dealer by which member of Hitler's inner circle? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Which of the following was the German term for preserving cultural heritage and artwork in both World Wars, which they used as a 'justification' for looting works of art from of other countries? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Which of these paintings, by the Renaissance artist known as Raphael, is often considered to be the most important painting to be stolen and then lost during the German campaign in Poland? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Which highly venerated Renaissance sculptor and painter created the marble statue "Madonna of Bruges", which was smuggled out of Belgium by German soldiers in 1944? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Who is the author of "The Rape of Europa" a book and subsequent 2006 movie on the plunder of artwork by the Third Reich? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Salt mines were often used by the Nazi's to hide works of art.


Question 8 of 10
8. Which of these is the name of one of the most unique works of art confiscated by the Germans and consisted of a complete chamber decoration made from amber panels, gold leaf and mirrors? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. "Place de la Concorde", by Edgar Degas was believed to have been destroyed during World War II until it showed up in 1996 in a display at the Hermitage Museum in which country? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Pablo Picasso's painting "The Painter" was confiscated by the Nazis in 1943 and has never been found.



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Most Recent Scores
Apr 13 2024 : Guest 1: 7/10
Apr 01 2024 : Guest 2: 8/10
Mar 04 2024 : Guest 216: 5/10
Feb 26 2024 : Guest 184: 5/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. What kind of unusual wood was used for the statues contained in "The Altarpiece of Veit Stoss" was the largest Gothic altarpiece when it was stolen from Poland, in 1941?

Answer: Lime wood

"The Altarpiece of Veit Stoss", also known St. Mary's Altar, is a multiple panel altarpiece carved by Bavarian sculptor Veit Stoss between 1477 and 1489. Different kinds of wood were used for different parts of this triptych. The background is constructed of larch wood, the 12ft. tall individual sculptures were each carved from a tree trunk of lime wood and oak wood was used for other decorative parts.

This work of art was recovered in 1946 after being hidden by the Nazi's in the basement of the Nuremberg Castle.

It was turned back over to the Polish people who consider it a national treasure. Hitler claimed because the artist was born in Nuremberg, that this piece of art belonged to Germany despite the fact it had been paid for by the private citizens of Krakow, Poland for their own church.
2. Vincent Van Gogh's painting "Portrait of Dr. Gachet" was confiscated from the Städtische Galerie in Frankfurt by the Third Reich's Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda and then sold to an art dealer by which member of Hitler's inner circle?

Answer: Hermann Göring

Hermann Göring saved this masterpiece when he secretly sold it to an Amsterdam art dealer. Germany's Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda had declared the painting to be 'degenerate art' and had intended to destroy the painting. It is believed to be in the private collection of Ryoei Saito, the honorary chairman of Daishowa Paper Manufacturing Company. Göring is thought to have amassed hundreds, if not thousands, of works of art for a personal collection.

Many were recovered.
3. Which of the following was the German term for preserving cultural heritage and artwork in both World Wars, which they used as a 'justification' for looting works of art from of other countries?

Answer: Kunstschutz

The Germans looted the museums and mansions in Italy, France and Poland, just to name a few countries affected. Thousands of paintings, sculptures and other types of art were confiscated and sent by rail to Germany. Once there, the Germans hid the items after going through them and deciding which were 'degenerate art' was and what art was worth saving.

The Nazis did not like modern art and destroyed much of what they found. Some of Hitler's inner circle, especially Goebbels and Göring kept their own private collections.
4. Which of these paintings, by the Renaissance artist known as Raphael, is often considered to be the most important painting to be stolen and then lost during the German campaign in Poland?

Answer: Portrait of a Young Man

"Portrait of a Young Man" by Raphael has often been thought to be a self -portrait. In 1939, Hans Frank, the governor of Poland who was appointed by Hitler, confiscated this and two other paintings by well-known Renaissance artists from the Czartoryski Museum. Raphael's painting was last seen hanging on the walls of Hans Frank's home ...

It has never been seen since. Art experts have estimated that if the painting was found, that it would sell at auction for over 100 million US dollars.
5. Which highly venerated Renaissance sculptor and painter created the marble statue "Madonna of Bruges", which was smuggled out of Belgium by German soldiers in 1944?

Answer: Michelangelo

The "Madonna of Bruges" was one of Michelangelo's many masterpieces. This beautiful marble statue depicts the Madonna and child. Retreating German soldiers confiscated the sculpture and smuggled it out of the country enveloped in bed mattresses. It was recovered undamaged in 1948 and moved to the Church of Our Lady in Bruges, Belgium, where it can be viewed by the public behind bullet proof class.
6. Who is the author of "The Rape of Europa" a book and subsequent 2006 movie on the plunder of artwork by the Third Reich?

Answer: Lynn H. Nicholas

Lynn H. Nicholas wrote" The Rape of Europa: The Fate of Europe's Treasures in the Third Reich and the Second World War" in 1994. That same year, the book won the National Book Critics Circle Award in the general non-fiction category. In 2006, the book was made into a documentary movie where upon it was named by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to the shortlist as a nominee for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

It deals with the philosophically intriguing questions that arise as to the ownership of these lost artworks as they are slowly being discovered in museums, estate sales, garage sales and private collections.
7. Salt mines were often used by the Nazi's to hide works of art.

Answer: True

Salt mines were often used, as they stay a constant temperature and had appropriate humidity for maintaining artwork without damaging it. Underground mines also provided protection from the bombing that was so widespread in World War II.
8. Which of these is the name of one of the most unique works of art confiscated by the Germans and consisted of a complete chamber decoration made from amber panels, gold leaf and mirrors?

Answer: The Amber Room

The Amber Room was constructed by German and Russian craftsman from 1701-1709. It consisted of high panels or walls constructed of amber, decorated with vast amounts of heavy gold leaf and mirrors. In 1716, it was presented to Tsar Peter the Great by his then ally, the Prussian king Friedrich Wilhelm I.

The Russians continued to add to this magnificent work of art until it contained over 6 tons of amber, and covered over 55 square meters. The Amber Room was taken apart and transported to Königsberg, where it was lost during the chaos at the end of the war. Treasure hunters all over the world have searched for this priceless work of art, rumored variously to have been buried underground in a bunker, lost in a sunken submarine, or buried at an unknown location in the Ore Mountains.
9. "Place de la Concorde", by Edgar Degas was believed to have been destroyed during World War II until it showed up in 1996 in a display at the Hermitage Museum in which country?

Answer: Russia

In 1996, "Place de la Concorde", was put on display in the famous Russian Hermitage Museum. While it took a bit of negotiation, the museum finally acknowledged that provenance of the painting could not be ascertained. It should be noted that many of the world's most famous museums have been known to display artwork that is believed to have been stolen from the rightful owners by the Third Reich.

Some has never been reclaimed as the families who owned them had been slaughtered, and other artwork cannot be proven to have been stolen or the rightful owners are unable to prove ownership.
10. Pablo Picasso's painting "The Painter" was confiscated by the Nazis in 1943 and has never been found.

Answer: False

Although thousands of pieces of artwork were destroyed by the Nazis, "The Painter" by Picasso was lost on September 2, 1998, when Swissair Flight 111 crashed into the water of off Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. While this painting will never be recovered, some of the lost artwork taken in Nazi looting is still around, hidden in private collections and museum vaults.
Source: Author dcpddc478

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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