Back
Few exhibitions could be more timely than "Degenerate Art: Modern Art on Trial Under the Nazis," showcased at the Musée Picasso in Paris until May 25. This exhibition reflects on the infamous propaganda event, Entartete Kunst (degenerate art), organized by the Nazis in Munich in 1937. The exhibition attacked Modern art, branding it as Bolshevist and Jewish, thus labeling it "un-German" and an expression of unpatriotic sentiments contrary to Nazi ideology.
Entartete Kunst, held in the Institute of Archaeology's narrow galleries in Munich, displayed around 650 works by over 100 artists. Surprisingly, only six of these artists were Jewish. The exhibit featured works by notable artists such as Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Paul Klee, Max Beckmann, Emil Nolde, Wassily Kandinsky, Franz Marc, Otto Dix, and Oskar Kokoschka—all seized from German museums known for their support of Modern artists in a rapid campaign authorized just three weeks before the exhibition's July opening.
According to official figures, around three million people visited Entartete Kunst, making it one of the most popular exhibitions of its time as it toured Germany and Austria. The success could be attributed to the astute Nazi propaganda, which capitalized on existing prejudices against Modern art. Visitors came seeking outrage and shock, often leaving the exhibition feeling satisfied.
Attending the exhibition was also a declaration of loyalty to the regime amidst a climate of paranoia and political violence. Although Hitler's political position had solidified by 1937, Nazi propaganda sought to permeate every aspect of individual life. Joseph Goebbels stated, "we want rather to work on people until they have become addicted to us."
After jeering at the Dadaists and Expressionists, attendees could cross the park to the newly constructed Haus der Deutschen Kunst. Here, the Große Deutsche Kunstausstellung (great German art exhibition) showcased pro-German artworks, emphasizing classic heroic themes and kitsch.
These exhibitions were part of a meticulously coordinated campaign to assert nationalist values and dismantle democracy. Following Hitler's swift rise to power in early 1933, smaller exhibitions criticizing the "anti-German" nature of Modern art had been curated across Germany. By then, most cultural organizations had been taken over or abolished by National Socialists. The Bauhaus Dessau was closed in January 1932, with an unsuccessful attempt by Mies van der Rohe to revive it in Berlin shortly after. In 1936, Goebbels ordered the closure of the Modern art galleries of Berlin's Nationalgalerie.
The decisive blow for artists and museum professionals came with the April 1933 law, Gesetz zur Wiederherstellung des Berufsbeamtentums (law for the restoration of the professional civil service). This law enabled the dismissal of government employees deemed unpatriotic, impacting artists and museum workers significantly. Nazis replaced pioneering museum directors, implementing rigid policies that aligned with the party's ideology.
The Gleichschaltung (coordination) of Germany’s civil service has echoes in contemporary politics, such as the Trump administration in the US. Federal workers with liberal orientations faced job losses, and federal agencies like the Institute of Museum and Library Services were targeted. The executive order "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History", reminiscent of the 1930s museum purges, aimed at eliminating 'woke' culture in museums.
The Nazi hero-worshipping art finds a controversial parallel in Trump's authorization for a “National Garden of American Heroes,” a park of sculptures celebrating "heroic" Americans. The mandate for such sculptures echoes Trump’s 2020 executive order to “Make Federal Buildings Beautiful Again.” His use of the term "degenerate," in relation to the British artist Chris Ofili, suggests potential developments reminiscent of Entartete Kunst, casting certain art as un-American.
By the opening of Entartete Kunst on July 19, 1937, many artists had already left Germany as living there became untenable. This is comparable to the challenges faced by artists in the US today, where shrinking funding impacts those who do not conform to politically neutral art.
Despite potential parallels, the differences between now and the 1930s remain significant. While financial crises have occurred, the political chaos and violence of post-World War I Germany differ distinctly from today's environment. Moreover, modern opportunities for collective response exist, unlike the suppression experienced during Nazi Germany. As Picasso's Guernica symbolized resistance to tyranny, so too does history remind us that art remains a powerful tool of defiance.
