2007年VOA标准英语-Congress Honors Those Who Saved Europe's Great

By Jeff Swicord
Washington
18 June 2007
 

They were the men assigned to save Europe's great art treasures during World War Two.  In early 1943, the U.S. and its allies learned that the Nazis² were confiscating³ great works of art across Europe.  In response, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the American Commission for the Protection and Salvage⁴ of Artistic⁵ and Historic Monuments in War Areas.  The men assigned to the job became known as the "Monuments Men." And 64 years later their efforts are finally being honored.  VOA'S Jeff Swicord reports.

There were once more than 350 "Monuments Men."  Now, only 12 survive, and four were honored recently at a ceremony on Capitol Hill. Congress paid tribute to the old soldiers' efforts to return the great treasures of Europe that the Nazis stole during World War Two. 

Writer Robert Edsal co-authored their story in the book "Rescuing da Vinci."  "You consider that in the period six or seven years they were able to locate, in thousands of hiding places -- it was the greatest treasure hunt in history -- and ultimately return to the countries that were stolen more than five million works of art, books, stained glass, church bells from cathedrals throughout Europe. It is really an extraordinary accomplishment⁶."

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Harry Ettlenger

In 1938 the Nazis began the systematic⁸ confiscation⁹ of Europe's priceless works of art, including masterpieces by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Rembrandt. 

In 1944 with Allied¹⁰ armies liberating¹¹ territory taken by the Nazis, U.S. soldiers with the Monument, Fine Arts and Archives Unit took on the daunting¹² task of locating stolen treasures. 

Harry Ettlenger was a member of the unit. "My first assignment was to effectively read letters and documents that were written in German and provide that information to the captain who took me under his wing."

Luckily, the Nazis kept detailed¹³ records of the stolen art. The "Monuments Men" also interviewed art representatives from occupied countries and interrogated¹⁴ captured Nazi¹ officials. 

Bernard Taper¹⁵ remembers searching for the Czartoryski collection, looted from Poland's National Museum in Krakow. "That was a famous collection.  Wonderful works of art.  A da Vinci -- "Lady with an Ermine" -- a Rembrandt portrait. Other wonderful things."

Taper focused on finding one painting from the collection: Raphael's  "Portrait of a Young Man."  His first task was to meet with the art representative from Poland. 

"We had a session, more than one session, where we talked about the missing painting and how it might have left Poland, who might have been involved with it and what Nazi people might have known more than others," recalls Taper. 

The collection eventually came under the control of the Nazi governor of Poland, Hans Frank.  And the Allies eventually found most of the collection with Frank at his home in Neuhaus, Germany. But the Raphael remains¹⁶ missing.

The value of the art catalogued and saved by the Monuments Men is estimated at more than a trillion dollars.  Sixty years later, their efforts have been honored in a resolution passed by both houses of Congress.

1 Nazi   

n.纳粹分子，adj.纳粹党的，纳粹的

参考例句：

• They declare the Nazi regime overthrown and sue for peace.他们宣布纳粹政权已被推翻，并出面求和。
• Nazi closes those war criminals inside their concentration camp.纳粹把那些战犯关在他们的集中营里。

2 Nazis   

n.（德国的）纳粹党员( Nazi的名词复数 )；纳粹主义

参考例句：

• The Nazis worked them over with gun butts. 纳粹分子用枪托毒打他们。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Nazis were responsible for the mass murder of Jews during World War Ⅱ. 纳粹必须为第二次世界大战中对犹太人的大屠杀负责。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 confiscating   

没收（confiscate的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• There was Mame by my side confiscating my intellects and attention. 有玛米坐在我身边，害得我心不在焉。
• Intimidate book sellers by confiscating books deemed unfavourable to the Barisan government. 充公被视为对国阵不利的书籍，威胁书商。

4 salvage   

v.救助，营救，援救；n.救助，营救

参考例句：

• All attempts to salvage the wrecked ship failed.抢救失事船只的一切努力都失败了。
• The salvage was piled upon the pier.抢救出的财产被堆放在码头上。

5 artistic   

adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的

参考例句：

• The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
• These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。

6 accomplishment   

n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能

参考例句：

• The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。
• Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

7 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

8 systematic   

adj.有系统的，有计划的，有方法的

参考例句：

• The way he works isn't very systematic.他的工作不是很有条理。
• The teacher made a systematic work of teaching.这个教师进行系统的教学工作。

9 confiscation   

n. 没收, 充公, 征收

参考例句：

• Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels. 没收一切流亡分子和叛乱分子的财产。 来自英汉非文学 - 共产党宣言
• Confiscation of smuggled property is part of the penalty for certain offences. 没收走私财产是对某些犯罪予以惩罚的一部分。

10 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

11 liberating   

解放，释放( liberate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Revolution means liberating the productive forces. 革命就是为了解放生产力。
• They had already taken on their shoulders the burden of reforming society and liberating mankind. 甚至在这些集会聚谈中，他们就已经夸大地把改革社会、解放人群的责任放在自己的肩头了。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

12 daunting   

adj.使人畏缩的

参考例句：

• They were faced with the daunting task of restoring the house.他们面临着修复房子的艰巨任务。
• Starting a new job can be a daunting prospect.开始一项新工作有时会让人望而却步。

13 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

14 interrogated   

v.询问( interrogate的过去式和过去分词 )；审问；（在计算机或其他机器上）查询

参考例句：

• He was interrogated by the police for over 12 hours. 他被警察审问了12个多小时。
• Two suspects are now being interrogated in connection with the killing. 与杀人案有关的两名嫌疑犯正在接受审讯。 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 taper   

n.小蜡烛，尖细，渐弱；adj.尖细的；v.逐渐变小

参考例句：

• You'd better taper off the amount of time given to rest.你最好逐渐地减少休息时间。
• Pulmonary arteries taper towards periphery.肺动脉向周围逐渐变细。

16 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。