After Words The Art Spy: Michelle Young Chronicles Rose Valland’s WWII Mission
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Dec 13, 2025 Michelle Young, journalist and author, dives into the riveting history of Rose Valland, a female spy during WWII. Young highlights Valland's journey from a modest upbringing to her crucial role at the Jeu de Paume museum, where she covertly documented Nazi art looting. The conversation reveals Valland's secret espionage methods, her challenging postwar life, and the complex legacy of her contributions to art restitution. Young sheds light on the reasons Valland's remarkable story has been overlooked, making for a compelling exploration of bravery and sacrifice.
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Protecting Art On The Eve Of Occupation
- Michelle Young recounts Rose Valland sleeping on a straw mattress at the museum to protect art as Germans approached Paris.
- Rose was forced to evacuate guards and families and later made them sign documents proving she had not abandoned her post.
Why Jeu de Paume Became A Looting Hub
- The Jeu de Paume became the Nazis' centralized depot for looted art because it was isolated and administratively controllable.
- Rose's unassuming appearance and role let her move under the Germans' radar and observe their operations closely.
Memorizing And Smuggling Evidence
- Rose memorized inventories and recognized stolen works because the Germans barred French staff from taking notes.
- She stole photo negatives and documents from garbage to secretly copy provenance records for restitution work.
