Gretta
Baumer
In 1937, Nazis held an art exhibit called
“Degenerate Art.” This exhibit was part of Nazi propaganda and was
shown to the German people to show which art was “acceptable,” realistic
art, and “not acceptable,” expressionist styles. During this time,
over 20,000 pieces of art were shown and many were destroyed. Some
of the many artists whose art was exhibited were Otto Dix, Max Beckmann,
Max Ernst, and Pablo Picasso.
Gretta Baumer was an early 20th century
artist, born in Munich, Germany. Her works were never really well
known until after her death in 1955, but they have become very well known
since then. Some of her paintings became very well known throughout
Germany and many of the European countries after the Second World War.
Despite the fact that her many paintings
and drawings were well loved, Nazis felt that they should be classified
as a form of degenerate art. Degenerate art, to the Nazis at that
time, was any form of art that did not conform to Hitler’s standards of
realistic scenes that depicted a certain scene or real life. Many
of her paintings and drawings were displayed and destroyed by Nazis because
she tended to be an expressionist painter and drawer, and this was an attempt
to embarrass many expressionist artists by labeling their artwork “degenerate.”
Nazis did this to many famous artists who practiced expressionist styles
and then destroyed their art after the initial humiliation.
Baumer’s work was displayed, and many of
her pieces of art were destroyed for being so called “degenerate.”
One of her many pieces of art called The Flower “Die Blumen,” was displayed
in Nazi showcases of degenerate art. This piece was supposed to be
destroyed as well, but in the process, it was somehow misplaced for many
years until after her death in 1955. When it resurfaced, it was purchased
by an art dealer in Germany and became well known as surviving wartime
art.
Contributor: Gloria Shook