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Confiscation & Formality. There were also nice differences between the manner in which Göring and Hitler acquired some of their pieces. Whereas Hitler was in a position to confiscate something "in the name of the German state"—as, for example, the Rothschild collection in Paris —Goring preferred more formal methods, with at least a fiction of legality. Göring did get some fine things from the Rothschild collection, such as a portrait of the Infanta Margarita Teresa by Velasquez, but Hofer insisted that everything taken from the Rothschild collection (which he said was "collected") was later appraised by French experts and a price paid to the French state—which, of course, was considerably in debt to Germany.
Göring nevertheless was not above outright confiscation. In the voluminous records kept of his collection, there is documentation on the treasures belonging to the Prince of Hesse, Count Volpi "and other Italians inimical to Germany." These objects, according to the records, were confiscated by the Sicherheitsdienst (security police).
Even when Göring bought things, it was not always to the satisfaction of the seller. One of his best pictures is an early Van Dyck. It was bought through Daniel Katz, an Amsterdam art dealer, and the receipt shows that Göring paid 200,000 marks ($80,000) for it. Hofer estimated the value of the picture at $150,000. There is also a rather acrid exchange of letters in the Göring files between Hofer and a Swiss lawyer, the gist of which is that the Reich Marshal was expected to pay more than he did for a certain item.
Göring had other people besides Hofer working to get pictures for him, although Hofer was always the man who closed the deal. There is considerable mention of "Task Force Rosenberg," which as near as I could figure out went around France, Holland and Belgium, confiscating art collections. There is also frequent correspondence with a ist Lieut. Dillenberg. who seems also to have kept an eye out for choice objects, perhaps as a member of the "Art Historical Detachment" of the Luftwaffe, which is mentioned several times.
Gold & Jewelry. Even more dazzling than the paintings are the gold and jewelry of Goring's collection. There are stacks of tableware made out of solid gold. There are two boxes in one of the rooms, both solid gold and crusted with fine gold handiwork set with precious stones. The center piece of one is an enormous aquamarine set in gold filigree on an ivory panel. There are gold candlesticks by the dozen.
The thing that sticks out most in my mind is not a Rubens or a Rembrandt or even a diamond-crusted cigaret box. It is a silver cup presented by Hermann Göring, Reich Master of the Hunt, to Hermann Göring, Reich Master of the Hunt. Yes, that is what it says.
* Although Göring specialized in old masters, he had a taste for moderns. His loot included two Van Goghs (a Sunflowers and Bridge at Aries), and at least two Renoirs.