The film begins with the auctioning of a valuable Picasso painting that resurfaced decades after the war. Narrated by Joan Allen ("The Upside of Anger"), the documentary explains the tale behind Picasso's painting and other similarly valuable pieces of art. "Europa" transports the audience back to the Nazi invasion of Europe, a period characterized by chaos and despair. Perhaps some of the most powerful figures at the time were museum curators in European cities that housed priceless paintings and other artworks. It was common knowledge that Hitler was an avid art collector who was willing to do whatever was necessary to obtain what he desired. After purging German museums of the modern art he despised, Hitler went so far as to make art part of his political agenda. With plans to build a great museum in his name, Hitler began a quest for rare artwork that he wished to put in his museum.
Hitler was not only an art collector, but he was also an aspiring painter, who in his youth, was rejected by a prestigious art school ran by Jews. Hitler's frustrated artistic ambitions might have contributed to his hatred for Jews.
While the Nazis were busy conquering Europe, museums that would surely be Hitler's targets set about evacuating their priceless art collections. The Louvre transferred 400,000 paintings to castles around the French countryside-the "Mona Lisa" was moved in its own sealed ambulance and remained unharmed. The Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia, relocated about a million paintings and sculptures. Museum curators in Florence, Italy constructed fortifications to protect the most prized Renaissance art pieces from damage. Unfortunately, during the removal process, Nazi forces stole thousands of these paintings, some of which were never seen again.
Through interviews with war survivors and their relatives, "Europa" provides an account of what it is like to live during World War II. Subtitles for a variety of European languages allow the audience to understand the survivors' experiences. The film features interviews with some of the most prominent figures at the center of the struggle to save Europe's artistic legacy. Despite receiving little recognition for their efforts, a number of individuals was involved in the effort to salvage Europe's most valuable artworks. Rose Valante was a French curator who risked her life by doubling as a spy and keeping an inventory of stolen French art pieces.
Another group known as the Monument Men, led by Deane Keller, ensured that the artwork evacuated from various European museums would be transported to safe locations and kept in good condition. Despite the difficulty of this task, Keller was determined to deliver the artwork to their rightful owners. "Europa" finally gives these heroes the acknowledgement they deserve for their courageous deeds.
Written, produced and directed by Richard Berge, Nicole Newnham and Bonni Cohen, "The Rape of Europa" is an informative documentary about the horrors of World War II and the brave attempts to save Europe's artistic heritage. The film asks viewers to "imagine the world without our masterpieces"-a tragedy which almost happened because of one man's unrestrained power and greed. After watching this film, it is a relief to know that the collective efforts of seemingly ordinary individuals saved many European masterpieces.