Why Tyrants Fear Art

Following last week's close look at Milan Kundera, I wanted to take another look at the role of art in defending our values, this time examining why art needs defending at all.

In August of 1944, occupied Paris was handed to Dietrich von Choltitz, a Nazi general with a direct order from Hitler: Paris “must not fall into the enemy’s hand except lying in complete rubble”. If the Allied forces retook the city, Choltitz was ordered to destroy all of its historic monuments, including the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame. The general had unhesitatingly played a part in levelling other cities, from the bombardment of Rotterdam to the siege of Sevastopol. Hitler told him, “You will receive from me all the support you need,” giving him enough demolition units to blow up the city’s forty-five bridges and all if its landmarks.

Late in August, however, Hitler’s aids informed him that Allied forces had reached the centre of Paris. According to a general who was present at that day’s strategic conference, “Hitler immediately exploded in one of those bursts of anger which become more and more frequent.” He hollered about having made every preparation for the city to be destroyed…