Art believed destroyed by Nazis found in Berlin

[November 08, 2010]  BERLIN (AP) -- Artwork deemed "degenerate" by the Nazis and believed to have been destroyed has been unearthed during construction near Berlin's city hall and is going on display.

The Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation said Monday the works include 11 primarily bronze statues by artists Otto Baum, Edwin Scharff and Otto Freundlich.

They are to go on display to the public starting Tuesday in a Berlin museum.

Construction workers found the pieces while digging four weeks ago. Three have not yet been identified.

The Nazi regime sold or destroyed thousands of artworks created by Jews or that they otherwise believed contained "deviant" sexual elements, anti-nationalistic themes or challenged the Nazi ideology.

[Associated Press]

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