Geert Sels (1965) holds MA degrees in german language studies and in theatrical arts (KU Leuven). He worked as a journalist for the national Flemish Television and De Morgen, and is currently the cultural editor for De Standaard since 1996. Amongst others, he publishes about works of art during times of war. For his work in this field he was awarded in 2014 with De Loep for investigative journalism.

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Geert Sels
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Nazi-looted art from Belgium

  • Culture
  • Justice
  • Organised crime
  • Politics

BRUSSELS - An immense art theft occured during World War II. The Nazis dragged art from occupied countries to Germany and set up ambitious collections. For Belgium, that story has not yet been told. How could paintings of Memling, Van der Weyden, Brueghel, Jordaens and Cranach so easily leave the country? The Nazis emptied homes, stole art, forced owners to sell and spent millions of Reichsmarks on the art market.

Nazi-looted art from Belgium

During the Second World War just about every Nazi-leader had its own art collection. The hunger for art was enormous. Which paintings were brought from Belgium to Nazi Germany?