The Winnipeg Artwork Gallery is dropping Ferdinand Eckhardt’s title from its predominant entrance corridor, web site and all different gallery supplies.
The choice comes after current allegations and analysis present that whereas dwelling in Germany within the Thirties, the previous WAG director was a Nazi supporter, the gallery posted in a press release on its web site final month.
The gallery can also be conducting analysis into the origins of supplies donated by Eckhardt and the Eckhardt-Gramatté Basis to make sure none of it’s art work was confiscated in the course of the Nazi regime. If that’s found, “all efforts can be made to return it to the rightful house owners or their heirs,” the assertion says.
Eckhardt was born in Vienna in 1902 and conscripted into the German military, the place he served from 1942 to 1944. He grew to become an artwork historian and developed a division of artwork training for the Austrian authorities earlier than shifting to Canada in 1953 to grow to be WAG director — a job he held till 1974.
He was a driving power behind the present WAG location being constructed, enabling the gallery to maneuver out of an area within the earlier location within the Winnipeg Auditorium (presently the positioning of the Manitoba Archives, throughout Memorial Boulevard).
His spouse, Sophie-Carmen Eckhardt-Gramatté, who got here to Winnipeg with him, grew to become one in all Canada’s main music composers.
Eckhardt’s connection to and assist of Nazi Germany was reported in an article by Conrad Sweatman that was printed in The Walrus final November.
“Eckhardt’s public endorsements of Nazism embody signing an oath of allegiance to Hitler and producing a number of polemics in far-right and Nazified journals within the early Thirties, urging, amongst different issues, that Germany’s cultural area align itself with the targets of the Nazi state,” the article says.
“Eckhardt went to work for one of the crucial infamous gamers in Hitler’s battle machine, IG Farben, the identical firm that constructed the Auschwitz focus camp and manufactured Zyklon B, used within the fuel chambers,” Sweatman wrote.
WAG-Qaumajuq director and CEO Stephen Borys downplayed the hyperlink between Eckhardt and the Nazis when requested by the Winnipeg Free Press about Sweatman’s article the day it got here out.
“The one shocking factor is so many issues are lacking and never substantiated or offered with out citations or references, so there are a number of huge gaps,” he informed the newspaper.
In a follow-up article in The Walrus on Dec. 7, Sweatman mentioned the WAG minimized the findings however didn’t totally deny them.
“The WAG’s feedback got here just a few hours after the article’s publication, they usually have been reeling. However there’s now been loads of time for them to assessment the proof we’ve to this point introduced,” he mentioned within the piece, which was a Q & A between Sweatman and interim editor-in-chief Carmine Starnino.
The WAG’s assertion on its web site was posted lower than two weeks later, on Dec. 19, with the headline “shifting ahead.”
It says it took the allegations surfaced by Sweatman “with the utmost seriousness” and instantly launched an inside investigation that included researching information on the Manitoba Archives.
Primarily based on these findings, Borys acquired approval of the WAG board of governors to start eradicating Eckhardt’s title.
“This course of will take time and updates will probably be shared with the general public,” the assertion says.
The WAG may also proceed researching any gaps in donated art work’s possession in the course of the Nazi period.
“The gallery has been doing this analysis for a number of a long time, and whereas no gaps within the possession within the Eckhardt-Gramatté Assortment at WAG-Qaumajuq have been discovered, this investigative work has not been concluded,” the assertion says.
“The gallery is dedicated to analyzing any new allegations relating to the gathering and we’ll preserve you up to date as we transfer additional into this investigation.”
The assertion goes on to say “all this work round Eckhardt’s previous is a part of a continued journey in the direction of fairness, decolonization and reconciliation — in all its kinds.”
CBC Information has additionally reached out to the College of Manitoba and College of Winnipeg to see if they’re contemplating renaming any amenities which might be at the moment named in honour of Eckhardt’s spouse.
The U of M has the Eckhardt Gramatté Music Library whereas the U of W has a theatre, Eckhardt-Gramatté Corridor, and the Eckhardt Gramatté Library on artwork historical past.
The U of W is slated to renovate the corridor quickly and “will assessment that area’s title,” mentioned a press release from the post-secondary establishment.
A spokesperson for the U of M mentioned that establishment is conducting a full assessment of the usage of the Eckhardt title “to find out subsequent steps.”
That features an honorary diploma the college bestowed upon him in 1971.
“Within the meantime, any portray or plaque that bears the title will probably be coated till after the assessment,” the spokesperson mentioned in an electronic mail.
Eckhardt, who additionally acquired an honorary diploma from Brandon College, was inducted into the Order of Canada (1976) and the Manitoba Order of the Buffalo Hunt (1982).
The latter was, at the moment, the very best honour the province may bestow on people who demonstrated excellent expertise within the areas of management, service and neighborhood dedication.
CBC has requested the province whether it is reviewing that honour.
Eckhardt additionally acquired a Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (1977).