BEACHWOOD, Ohio – The Maltz Museum is thrilled to announce the opening of DEGENERATE! Hitler’s War on Modern Art. The collection features art labeled as ‘degenerate’ by the Nazi regime and used as propaganda to sway public opinion. The exhibition will be on view at the Maltz Museum from October 30, 2024 to April 20, 2025.
DEGENERATE! showcases art from private and public collections, exploring movements, events, and outcomes of being branded “degenerate” and the role it played in public indoctrination to Nazi ideology. Part history, part art show, the exhibition displays works by artists that the Nazis blamed for the moral decline of German culture and society.
In the early 20th century, radical new approaches to art flourished, but as Hitler came to power, that soon changed. Under the control of the Nazi regime, works of art across Europe were confiscated in the thousands. Some were destroyed. Some were sold to build the Nazi war machine. Others were used as propaganda, promoting the idea that certain perspectives and people were “degenerate” and “unworthy of life.”
“We’re excited to bring a collection of this caliber to the Cleveland community,” said Aaron Petersal, Executive Director of the Maltz Museum. “The exhibition focuses on the impact of the Nazi regime’s attempt at controlling creative expression to manipulate culture. It’s an important reminder of how art and media have been utilized as a form of propaganda. Equally important, DEGENERATE! is a chance to view amazing and expressive examples of modern art, despite Hitler’s attempt to prevent it. ”
This thought-provoking exhibition will display art from world-renowned artists such as Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Wassily Kandinsky, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, George Grosz, and more. Nearly 100 pieces will be on display and footage of the 1937 Degenerate Art (Entartete Kunst) Exhibition in Munich organized by Joseph Goebbels will also be shown to the public.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.maltzmuseum.org.
DEGENERATE! Hitler’s War on Modern Art, is an original exhibition created by and on loan from the Jewish Museum Milwaukee.