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NS30 Taskforce Reichsleiter Rosenberg, ERR ​

Overview ​

The Einsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg (ERR) functioned as one of the German Reich's major looting organizations, systematically seizing books, documents, art, and cultural property from occupied territories across Europe. Established through a series of Nazi decrees—beginning with Hitler's January 1940 Order establishing the "Hohe Schule" and expanded by subsequent military directives. The ERR was granted extensive powers to search libraries, archives, and private collections for materials to use against "ideological enemies" of National Socialism. The leader of this unit was Alfred Rosenberg (1893-1946). Originally headquartered in Paris before relocating to Berlin, the organization operated through a sophisticated structure of regional working groups and specialized staff units that methodically plundered cultural treasures, with particular focus on Jewish cultural property and materials for Nazi research institutions.

Content ​

  • Documentation relating to the geographical contexts: actions taken by the ERR in Western Europe: France, Belgium and the Netherlands; Southern Europe: Italy, Greece, Serbia and other Balkan territories; Eastern Europe: "Ostland" consisting of the Baltic states, Ukraine, Belorussia and other occupied Soviet territories; as well as limited operations in Denmark.
  • Documentation concerning the special operation units inclusive of the M-Aktion (the seizure of furniture and household items for use in occupied Eastern territories); the Special Staff for Fine Arts (Sonderstab Bildende Kunst) as well as groups working at the Louvre and the Jeu de Paume in Paris.
  • Documents relating to the materials targeted by the ERR: Books and documents from libraries and archives, art objects and cultural goods from museums and private collections, special focus on Jewish property and materials for "researching the Jewish question" and materials for "researching Bolshevism".
  • Documents concerning the ERR special Special Staff units for Fine Arts, Prehistory, Archives, Genealogy, Science, Folklore, Music, and for the Central Library of the "Hohe Schule".
  • Documentation relating to the leadership and Key Persons: Head of the Organisation, Paul Rosenberg; Staff lead Gerd Utikal (Stabsführer); Head of western operations Kurt von Behr.

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A subset of 111 subcollections out of the 271 have been selected from the Bundesarchiv as relevant for provenance research. These have been indexed and are searchable through the DocQuest interface. Access the page level by selecting "Meta search". Access the collection level (archival metadata) by selecting "Search on Collection Level".