Amid the chaos of World War II, the protection of art and valuables became a critical mission. As Hitler aimed to seize Europe’s treasures, both sides ingeniously concealed precious items in unexpected locations. Here are ten unusual places where art and valuables were hidden during World War II.
10. A Welsh Quarry
When war broke out, Winston Churchill ordered the National Gallery’s collection to be moved to “caves and cellars.” Surprisingly, around 2,000 artworks found refuge in a slate quarry in Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales. Air-conditioned studios were built inside the mines, guarded by soldiers and art experts. Masterpieces by Titian, Michelangelo, and John Constable were among the hidden treasures, safely returned to London after the war.
9. An Austrian Salt Mine
The Nazis stored around 6,500 paintings in an Austrian salt mine. Hitler planned to have them blown up if Germany surrendered, a devastating blow to European culture. Fortunately, local miners and possibly a Nazi official, swapped the bombs for weaker ones, sealing the entrance instead. The cool, dark atmosphere preserved works by Michelangelo, Vermeer, Rembrandt, and Rubens until Allied forces recovered them.
8. A London Tube Station
The Elgin Marbles, controversial treasures from the Parthenon, were moved to Aldwych London Underground station to protect them from German bombing. This disused platform had been used to store museum goods during World War I. The Marbles remained safe until 1948, while the British Museum suffered bomb damage. The station’s survival was later deemed miraculous, highlighting the risk involved.
7. A Biscuit Tin
King George VI ordered the iconic crown jewels to be hidden in case of a Nazi invasion. A deep hole was dug at Windsor Castle, and two concrete chambers with steel doors were constructed. The most precious stones from the Imperial State Crown were removed and, rather surprisingly, placed in a biscuit tin before being buried. The secret remained unknown until letters detailing the plan were found during research for a 2018 documentary.
8. An Ambulance
Jacques Jaujard, director of France’s National Museums, anticipated the German invasion and orchestrated the removal of the Louvre’s collection to the countryside. The Mona Lisa was packed into a custom, double-thick case lined with velvet. At one point, it was strapped to a stretcher and transported by ambulance to control humidity. An official traveling with it nearly suffocated, underscoring the lengths taken to protect the masterpiece.
5. A Norwegian Forest
Edvard Munch, the artist behind The Scream, had some of his works hidden deep in a Norwegian forest. The Nazis labeled Munch’s art as “degenerate” and banned it. Shipping magnate Thomas Olsen, who owned several Munch paintings, moved his collection to a remote barn when Britain declared war on Germany in 1939. This act of preservation ensured the survival of invaluable pieces, with Olsen’s family later selling their version of The Scream for millions.
4. An Abandoned Jail Cell
Despite being allies, the Nazis looted art from Italy, ostensibly to protect it from the war. In Florence, paintings went missing during transport. Following the German surrender, an Italian gallery director revealed a hidden cache in San Leonardo, a small village in the Italian Alps. Behind the doors of an abandoned jail cell, a collection of paintings worth around $500 million in 1945 (billions today) was discovered.
3. In Bread Packages
Some Nazi-looted treasures remain missing. A valuable hoard of coins, gemstones, and jewelry, looted from a bank in Arnhem, Netherlands, was hidden in Ommeren. German soldiers stuffed the loot into ammunition boxes and bread packages before burying them beneath a tree. Despite a declassified Nazi map marking the spot, numerous attempts to find the treasure have failed, leading experts to believe it has already been recovered.
2. Dissolved into Liquid
Nobel Prize-winning scientists Max von Laue and James Franck sent their gold Nobel medals to Niels Bohr in Copenhagen to protect them from the Nazis. When the Nazis invaded Denmark, George de Hevesy dissolved the medals in aqua regia, creating an orange liquid. After the war, de Hevesy extracted the gold and sent it to Stockholm to recast the Nobel medals, a testament to scientific ingenuity and bravery.
1. Behind Juice Cartons and Tinned Food
In 2011, 1,500 looted works were discovered in a Munich apartment belonging to recluse Rolf Gurlitt, 66 years after the war. The hoard, worth up to one billion euros, included paintings by Picasso, Matisse, and Munch. Gurlitt inherited the art from his father, an art dealer who had acquired “degenerate” art confiscated by the Nazis. The paintings were stacked and hidden behind juice cartons and expired food, highlighting the long-lasting impact of wartime looting.
These stories from World War II reveal remarkable efforts to safeguard invaluable treasures from destruction and theft. From quarries and salt mines to biscuit tins and even dissolved liquids, the ingenuity and dedication of those involved ensured that many cultural artifacts survived one of history’s darkest periods.
What do you think about these incredible hiding places? Leave your comment below!
