Profiteer Category: Ministries and authorities

The task force led by Alfred Rosenberg, chief ideologist of the NSDAP, had a keen interest in Jewish art and cultural objects as well as books on Jewish topics. These were used for the department’s own antisemitic “Forschungstätigkeit” (research activities). In some cases, the task force also received “entartete Kunst“Entartete Kunst” (degenerate art) is a Propagandistic term used by the Nazi regime to describe art that it rejected on political and aesthetic grounds. More” (degenerate art“Entartete Kunst” (degenerate art) is a Propagandistic term used by the Nazi regime to describe art that it rejected on political and aesthetic grounds. More) from looted property. Since these items could not be sold on the open market, the Vermögensverwertungsstelle made them available to the task force free of charge.

The Reichsministerium für Volksaufklärung und Propaganda (Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda) under Joseph Goebbels was given privileged access to confiscated records and record players during the plundering of Jewish people deported from Berlin. Retailers had to offer these to government inspector Staiger free of charge and hand them over if necessary.

In the course of the asset theft, the Vermögensverwertungsstelle (Asset Realisation Office) primarily secured items to furnish its own offices. Safes, card index boxes, typewriters, pictures, sculptures, and office furniture thus found their way into the offices.