Finding Aid for the Charles Parkhurst Papers, 

1937-1965 (bulk 1943-1949)

 

 

Summary Information

Repository National Gallery of Art Archives

Sixth Street and Constitution Avenue, NW 

Washington, DC 20565 

archives@nga.gov

Title Charles Parkhurst Papers 

Identifier SC.018

Creator Parkhurst, Charles, 1913-2008

 

Date 1937-1965 (bulk 1943-1949)

Extent 3 cubic feet (8 boxes); approximately 150 digital files

Abstract This collection documents the activities of Charles Parkhurst, a naval 

lieutenant with the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives (MFAA) Section of 

the United States Army in Germany during and immediately after World 

War II. Papers include articles and newspaper clippings, correspondence, 

exhibition catalogues, photographs, publications, and reports.

Biographical Note

 

January 23, 1913 Born, Columbus, Ohio

1935 B.A., Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts

1938 M.A., Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio

1941 M.F.A., Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey

1941-1942 Research Assistant, National Gallery of Art, Washington

1942-1943 Assistant Curator (Registrar), National Gallery of Art, Washington

1945-1946 Deputy Chief, Eastern and Western Divisions of the United States Zone, 

Updated October 2023 National Gallery of Art Archives 1 of 13
Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives (MFAA) Section of the U.S. Military 

Government in Germany

1946-1947 Assistant Curator, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York

1947-1949 Assistant Professor of Art and Archeology, Princeton University

Assistant Director, Princeton Art Museum

January 25, 1948 Awarded Chevalier, Légion d'honneur, France

1949-1962 Head of Department of Fine Arts, Oberlin College 

Director of Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin College

Professor of History and Appreciation of Art, Oberlin College

1956-1957 Fulbright Research Scholar, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands

1962-1970 Director, Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, Maryland

1971-1983 Assistant Director and Chief Curator, National Gallery of Art, Washington

1983-1984 Co-director, Williams College Museum of Art

1985-1992 Visiting Professor and Lecturer, Williams College

1986-1987 Acting Director, Graduate Program, History of Art, Williams College

1991-1992 Interim Director, Smith College Museum of Art, Amherst, Massachusetts

Scope and Content

This collection documents Charles Parkhurst's activities as a naval lieutenant assigned to the

Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives (MFAA) Section of the United States Military Government in 

Germany from 1945 to 1946. During his year with the MFAA, Parkhurst served as deputy director

of the MFAA's eastern and western divisions. He also participated in the evacuation of works of

art stored at Schloss Neuschwanstein in Bavaria and was involved with the retrieval and recovery

of other looted art. In 1945, he signed the Wiesbaden Manifesto, protesting the military decision 

to transport 202 German-owned paintings to the National Gallery of Art for safekeeping. 

The collection includes reports, publications, articles and newspaper clippings, memoranda, 

correspondence, exhibition catalogues, and other documents relating to the retrieval and 

recovery of works of art, individuals and groups involved in art looting, and Parkhurst's MFAA 

experiences. Of special interest are the Schenker Papers, found in the Paris office of the firm 

Updated October 2023 National Gallery of Art Archives 2 of 13
Schenker Internationale Transporte, documenting art shipments to German museums and 

galleries during the occupation of France. Photographs documenting looted art and its recovery 

and other aspects of Parkhurst's MFAA activities are also of interest.

Arrangement 

Materials are arranged in the following series: 

Series 1 Wartime Subject Files, 1944-1963

Series 2 Art-Restitution Related Newspaper Clippings, 1943-1965

Series 3 Art Exhibition Catalogues, 1943-1948

Series 4 Other Publications, 1937-1954

Series 5 Photographs, 1945-1946

Administrative Information

Conditions Governing Access This collection is open for research by appointment under 

the conditions of the National Gallery of Art Archives 

Access Policy. For all inquiries or to schedule an 

appointment, please contact archives@nga.gov.

Preferred Citation National Gallery of Art Archives. Charles Parkhurst Papers.

Rights Status Copyright undetermined

Language English; German; French

 

Acquisition Information Gift of Charles Parkhurst, 1982

Processing Information Initially organized by National Gallery of Art Library staff 

before transfer to the National Gallery of Art Archives, 1999. 

Arranged and described by archives staff, 2007.

Related Archival Materials National Gallery of Art Archives. Deputy or Assistant 

Director Office Records. 

 

Resources Relating to World War II describes other WWIIrelated archival materials available at the National Gallery 

of Art.

Oral history interview with Charles Parkhurst, 1982. 

Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Updated October 2023 National Gallery of Art Archives 3 of 13
The National Archives and Records Administration of the 

United States (NARA) holds official government records 

relating to the work of the Monuments, Fine Arts and 

Archives officers and the American Commission for the 

Protection and Salvage of Artistic and Historic Monuments 

in War Areas (Roberts Commission). 

Monuments Men Foundation Archives available at the 

National WWII Museum. 

 

Series Descriptions

Series 1 Wartime Subject Files, 1944-1963 [boxes 1-2] 

Arranged alphabetically by subject. This series documents Charles Parkhurst's activities with the 

Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives (MFAA) Section of the United States Military Government in 

Germany. Materials in this series include documents relating to the Berlin paintings, 

correspondence, memoranda, and reports. Of special interest are the Schenker Papers, found in 

the Paris office of the firm Schenker Internationale Transporte, documenting art shipments to 

German museums and galleries during the occupation of France.

Series 2 Art-Restitution Related Newspaper Clippings, 1943-1965 [box 2] 

Arranged chronologically. This series consists of articles and newspaper clippings concerning 

looted art and wartime efforts to save works of art and other cultural monuments.

Series 3 Art Exhibition Catalogues, 1943-1948 [box 3] 

Arranged alphabetically by title. This series contains wartime art exhibition catalogues. Of special 

interest are the catalogues from the exhibitions of looted art at various locations around the 

United States, including the National Gallery of Art, Washington, the Art Institute of Chicago, and 

the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Catalogues are in English, German and French.

Series 4 Other Publications, 1937-1954 [boxes 3-4] 

Arranged alphabetically by author and title. This series is comprised of publications relating to

looted and repatriated art. Included in this series are several guidebooks, instruction manuals, and 

articles published by the United States government, as well as published reportsdocumenting the 

work of the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives (MFAA) Section and other restitution

organizations.

Series 5 Photographs, 1945-1946 [boxes 5-8] 

Arranged alphabetically by subject. This series contains photographic prints, negatives, and glass 

slides documenting MFAA activities and recovered artworks at various sites in Germany. Of 

special interest are images relating to the collecting points at Munich and Wiesbaden, the salt 

mines at Alt Ausee and Bernterode, and stolen art caches at Schloss Neuschwanstein and Schloss 

Neuenstein. For conservation purposes, photographic prints, negatives, and glass slides are 

stored separately. Photographs in this series have been digitized and are available to researchers.

Updated October 2023 National Gallery of Art Archives 4 of 13
Charles Parkhurst Papers

Series 1 Wartime Subject Files, 1944-1963

Box 1

Accessions to German museums and galleries during the occupation of France (The Schenker Papers),

1945

1-1

1-2 Bamberg MFAA program, 1946

1-3 Berlin Paintings exhibition, 1945-1963

1-4 Buxheim cloister, 1945

Collection of German letters and memoranda pertaining to confiscation of European art treasures

(translated), 1945

1-5

1-6 ELHAG - holding company for war veteran's business in Alsace

1-7 French Legion of Honor, 1948-1949

1-8 Goudstikker Collection, 1945

1-9 Haberstock, Karl, 1945

1-10 Heilbronn and Kochendorf salt mines, 1945

1-11 Höchstadt Schloss Repository, 1945

1-12 Holiday greetings, 1945

1-13 Schloss Löwenstein, 1945

1-14 Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives - exhibitions, 1946

1-15 Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives - memoranda, 1945-1946

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Charles Parkhurst Papers

1-16 Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives - policies, procedures and notices, 1944-1945

1-17 Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives - reports, 1945-1946

1-18 Munich Central Collecting Point, 1945-1946

1-19 Schloss Neuenstein (Öhringen), 1945

1-20 Schloss Neuschwanstein, 1945-1946

1-21 Parkhurst, Charles - memoranda and notes, 1945-1946

1-22 Parkhurst, Charles - personal correspondence, 1945-1948

Reports on investigations (Reinhold Kunsch, Hans Posse, Hermann Goering Collection, Involuntary

Sales, Firm of Anton Possenbacher), 1945-1946

1-23

Einsatzstab Rosenberg, 1945

Includes collar band.

1-24

Box 2

2-1 SHAEF (Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force instructions), 1944-1945

Headquarters - Toscana region - Allied Military Government, Monuments and Fine Arts Section final

report, circa 1945

2-2

2-3 Ulm - return of art and archives, 1945

2-4 Schloss Unterdiessen

2-5 White list of German personnel, 1944

Series 2 Art Restitution Related Newspaper Clippings, 1943-1965

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Charles Parkhurst Papers

Box 2

2-6 Undated (reference copies)

2-7 1943, 1945 (reference copies)

2-8 1946 (folder 1 of 2) (reference copies and fragile originals)

2-9 1946 (folder 2 of 2) (reference copies)

2-10 1947 (reference copies)

2-11 1948 (reference copies)

2-12 1949-1950 (reference copies)

2-13 1964-1965 (reference copies)

2-14 1943-1965, undated (fragile originals)

Series 3 Art Exhibition Catalogues, 1943-1948

Box 3

Ergänzungsteil zum Offiziellen Ausstellungskatalog der Groβen Deutschen Kunstaussellung. Im Haus

der Deutschen Kunst zu München, 1943

Nazi art exhibition.

3-1

Exhibition of Masterpieces of European Paintings (Ausstellung von Meisterwerken der Europäischen

Malerei). Marburg, 15-30 November 1945

3-2

Exhibit of Master Portraits - Paintings from Different European Schools 16th to 19th Century.

Heilbronn, 16-24 March 1946

3-3

Les Chefs-d'Oeuvres des Collections Privées Françaises: Retrouvés en Allemagne par la Commission

de Recupération Artistique et les Services Alliés. Orangerie des Tuileries, Juin-Aout 1946

3-4

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Charles Parkhurst Papers

3-5 Eighteenth Century Painting. Central Collecting Point Wiesbaden (Landesmuseum), September 1947

Masterpieces of Painting Saved from the German Salt Mines, Property of the Berlin Museums

Exhibited in Cooperation with the Department of the Army of the United States of America. Art

Institute of Chicago, 1948

2 copies.

3-6

Paintings from the Berlin Museums Exhibited at the Request of the Department of the Army. National

Gallery of Art, 17 March-18 April 1948

2 copies.

3-7

Paintings from The Berlin Museums Exhibited in Cooperation with the Department of the Army.

Metropolitan Museum of Art, 17 May-12 June 1948

2 copies.

3-8

3-9 Stolen Pictures - Peintures Volées. Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, 1948

Series 4 Other Publications, 1937-1954

Box 3

Brown, Gwyneth King. Drawings About War. Philadelphia: Women's International League for Peace

and Freedom, undated

3-10

Civil Affairs Information Guide - Field Protection of Objects of Art and Archives War Department

Pamphlet No. 31-103. Prepared by the American Commission for the Protection and Salvage of

Artistic and Historic Monuments in War Areas, 12 May 1944

3-11

Civil Affairs Guide - Archival Repositories in Germany. War Department Pamphlet No. 31-180.

Prepared by the National Archives, 15 May 1944

3-12

The Fire Fighters of London in Action. Auxillary Firemen of the London Brigade. Garden City, New

York: Garden City Publishing Company, 1941

3-13

Here it is: The Army's Tour for You: Munich and The Bavarian Highlands. No. 2. Issued by

SPSVHQ 3RD US Army, undated

3-14

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Charles Parkhurst Papers

Huth, Hans. Observations Concerning the Conservation of Monuments in Europe and America.

Washington: National Park Service, 1940

3-15

International Protection of Works of Art and Historic Monuments. Department of State Publication

3590. International Information and Cultural Series 8. Reprinted from documents and State papers of

June 1949

3-16

3-17 L'Art Français dans la Guerre: Caen. Paris: Librairie Arthème Fayard, 1946

3-18 L'Art Français dans la Guerre: Rouen. Paris: Librairie Arthème Fayard, 1946

Lavachery, H. et A. Noblecourt. Les Techniques de Protection des Biens Culturels en Cas de Conflit

Armé. UNESCO, 1954

3-19

Lavagnino, Emilio. Fifty War-Damaged Monuments of Italy. Rome: Italian Association for Italian

War-Damaged Monuments, 1946

3-20

Reanu, Jose. “L'Organisation de la Défense du Patrimoine Artistique et Historique Espagnol Pendant

La Guerre Civile.” Mouseion vol. 39-40 (1937)

3-21

Box 4

Military Government Weekly Information Bulletin No. 27. Office of the Director, Office of Military

Government (U.S. Zone), United States Forces, European Theater, Reports and Information Branch, 2

February 1946

4-1

Military Government Regulations Title 18 Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives. Headquarters United

States Forces, European Theater, Office of Military Government (U.S. Zone), 1946

4-2

Monthly Report of Military Governor No.1. Military Government of Germany, US Zone,

Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives, 20 August 1945

4-3

4-4 Official General List of Archives in Western Germany, circa 1944

Report of the American Commission for the Protection and Salvage of the Artistic and Historic

Monuments in War Areas. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1946

4-5

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Charles Parkhurst Papers

Ritchie, Andrew C. "The Restitution of Art Loot." Gallery Notes vol. XI, no. 1 (July 1946). Buffalo,

New York: Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, Albright Art Gallery

4-6

Skilton, John D., Jr. Défense de L'Art Européen: Souvenirs d'un officier américain "Spécialiste des

Monuments." Translated by Jacqueline de Gromard. Paris: Éditions Internationales, 1948

4-7

Works of Art in Austria (British Zone of Occupation): Losses and Survivals in the War. London:

H.M. Stationery Office, 1946

Compiled from Reports Supplied by the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives Branch of the Control Commission for

Austria (British Element) and Issued by the British Committee on the Preservation and Restitution of Works of Art,

Archives, and Other Material in Enemy Hands.

4-8

Works of Art in Germany (British Zone of Occupation): Losses and Survivals in the War. London:

H.M. Stationery Office, 1946

Compiled by the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives Branch of the Control Commission for Germany (British Element)

and Issued by the British Committee on the Preservation and Restitution of Works of Art, Archives, and Other Material in

Enemy Hands.

4-9

Works of Art in Greece: The Greek Islands and the Dodecanese, Losses and Survivals in the War.

London: H.M. Stationery Office, 1946

Compiled by the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives Sub Commission of the C.M.F., and Issued by the British Committee

on the Preservation and Restitution of Works of Art, Archives, and Other Material in Enemy Hands.

4-10

Works of Art in Italy: Losses and Survivals in the War, Part I South of Bologna. London: H.M.

Stationery Office, 1945

Compiled from War Office Reports by the British Committee on the Preservation and Restitution of Works of Art,

Archives, and Other Material in Enemy Hands.

4-11

Works of Art in Italy: Losses and Survivals in the War, Part II North of Bologna, Together with

Regional Summaries and a Supplement to Part I. London: H.M. Stationery Office, 1946

Compiled from War Office Reports by the British Committee on the Preservation and Restitution of Works of Art,

Archives, and Other Material in Enemy Hands.

4-12

Works of Art in Malta: Losses and Survivals in the War. London: H.M. Stationery Office, 1946

Compiled by Hugh Braun, F.S.A., F.R.I.B.A. and Issued by the British Committee on the Preservation and Restitution of

Works of Art, Archives, and Other Material in Enemy Hands.

4-13

Series 5 Photographs, 1945-1946

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Charles Parkhurst Papers

Box 5

Alt Aussee, Austria and vicinity

6 images. Digitized version(s) available. Negative(s) stored separately.

5-1

Alt Aussee salt mine

2 images. Digitized version(s) available. Negative(s) and glass slide(s) stored separately.

5-2

Bernterode salt mine - Lucas Cranach, Adam and Eve, April 1945

1 image. Digitized version(s) available. Negative(s) and glass slide(s) stored separately.

5-3

Buxheim Cloister

14 images. Digitized version(s) available. Negative(s) stored separately.

5-4

Frankfurt (Germany) Reichsbank - Lt. Charles Kuhn with Daumier’s Don Quixote from the

National-Galerie in Berlin, October 1945

1 image. Digitized version(s) available. Negative(s) and glass slide(s) stored separately.

5-5

Füssen, Swabia - view of town and Neuschwanstein Castle

1 image. Digitized version(s) available. Negative(s) and glass slide(s) stored separately.

5-6

Grasleben, Westphalia (Germany) salt mine - Lt. Lamont Moore and Sgt. Sheldon Keck inspecting

looted Polish treasure

1 image. Digitized version(s) available. Negative(s) and glass slide(s) stored separately.

5-7

Studio of Karl Haberstock

8 images. Digitized version(s) available. Negative(s) stored separately.

5-8

Heilbronn, Germany - Harry Ettlinger examining a Strasbourg Cathedral stained glass window before

its return to Alsace, 1945

1 image. Digitized version(s) available. Negative(s) and glass slide(s) stored separately.

5-9

Hungarian crown jewels

4 images. Digitized version(s) available. Negative(s) stored separately.

5-10

Schloss Linderhof

1 image. Digitized version(s) available. Negative(s) and glass slide(s) stored separately.

5-11

Updated October 2023 National Gallery of Art Archives 11 of 13
Charles Parkhurst Papers

Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives men

11 images. Digitized version(s) available. Negative(s) stored separately.

5-12

Munich Central Collecting Point - Bavarian crown jewels

4 images. Digitized version(s) available. Negative(s) and glass slide(s) stored separately.

5-13

Munich Central Collecting Point - Lt. Craig Hugh Smyth with looted French art from the Göring

Collection, summer 1945

1 image. Digitized version(s) available. Negative(s) and glass slide(s) stored separately.

5-14

Munich Central Collecting Point - photographer at work on looted art before its restitution, 1945

1 image. Digitized version(s) available. Negative(s) and glass slide(s) stored separately.

5-15

Munich Central Collecting Point - sorting incoming looted art, 1945

1 image. Digitized version(s) available. Negative(s) and glass slide(s) stored separately.

5-16

Munich Central Collecting Point - Haus der Deutschen Kunst (exterior), 17 January 1946

1 image. Digitized version(s) available. Negative(s) and glass slide(s) stored separately.

5-17

Munich Central Collecting Point - Haus der Deutschen Kunst - exhibition

11 images. Digitized version(s) available. Negative(s) and glass slide(s) stored separately.

5-18

Munich Pact signing - Hitler, Mussolini, Chamberlain, Deladier, 1938 (prewar view of notables)

2 images. Digitized version(s) available. Negative(s) and glass slide(s) stored separately.

5-19

Box 6

Schloss Neuenstein

18 images. Digitized version(s) available. Negative(s) stored separately.

6-1

Schloss Neuenstein - Sieger paintings

18 images. Digitized version(s) available.

6-2

Schloss Neuschwanstein

12 images. Digitized version(s) available. Negative(s) and glass slide(s) stored separately.

6-3

Schloss Neuschwanstein and vicinity

8 images. Digitized version(s) available. Negative(s) stored separately.

6-4

Updated October 2023 National Gallery of Art Archives 12 of 13
Charles Parkhurst Papers

Paten, silver gilt - 12th century looted from Poland

1 image. Digitized version(s) available. Negative(s) and glass slide(s) stored separately.

6-5

Reichsleiter Rosenberg - portrait

1 image. Digitized version(s) available. Negative(s) stored separately.

6-6

Ulm

6 images. Digitized version(s) available. Negative(s) and glass slide(s) stored separately.

6-7

Van Eyck Altarpiece of the Lamb

1 image. Digitized version(s) available.

6-8

Wiesbaden Collecting Point - exhibition

4 images. Digitized version(s) available. Negative(s) stored separately.

6-9

Box 7

Würzburg, Germany - residents cleaning bricks from building rubble

1 image. Digitized version(s) available. Negative(s) and glass slide(s) stored separately.

7-1

Unidentified (folder 1 of 2)

12 images. Digitized version(s) available. Negative(s) stored separately.

7-2

Unidentified (folder 2 of 2)

9 images. Digitized version(s) available.

7-3

Updated October 2023 National Gallery of Art Archives 13 of 13