Egypt’s attempts to retrieve the bust of Queen Nefertiti from the Nazis after the Second World War were thwarted by the United States, newly uncovered documents show.
The Americans dismissed the request fearing it would set a precedent that would lead to other ancient artefacts being returned and even said it would be following “Nazi principles”, letters shared with The National by Egyptologist Monica Hanna reveal.
Dr Hanna has unearthed correspondence by the US Army unit that dealt with the restitution of looted Nazi art, which reveal how they blocked her country’s request to return the bust and served as the inspiration for the Hollywood film The Monuments Men, staring George Clooney amd Matt Damon.
Dr Hanna, acting dean of the College of Archaeology and Cultural Heritage at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport in Egypt: “It also showed the inherent solid cultural imperialism in the West and how they truly saw the heritage of our country”.
The bust was a favourite of Adolf Hitler.
