The Foundation recently contributed meaningful additions to the Monuments Men and Women Foundation Collection at the National WWII Museum when senior researcher Casey Shelton traveled to the Museum to transfer several objects donated by relatives of two Monuments Men.

A WWII Italian naval ship’s wheel was returned to Italy by the Monuments Men and Women Foundation during an event at the Italian Ambassador’s residence.

Ninety-three-year-old June Brandt of Richmond, TX, contacted the Monuments Men and Women Foundation after reading Edsel’s Houston Chronicle op-ed about the Forever Promise Project. Her brother, Staff Sergeant William Durham “W. D.” West Jr., was just twenty-one when his plane was shot down over Germany two weeks before the end of World War II. June later learned that his grave—like all 8,000 at the Netherlands American Cemetery—has been lovingly adopted by a Dutch family for

The Forever Promise Project—a new initiative dedicated to connecting all of the families of American service members memorialized at the Netherlands American Cemetery with the Dutch citizens who have devotedly adopted their graves—is gaining powerful momentum thanks to the support of Bank of America.

By a serendipitous find, we uncovered a previously unknown photograph of Rose Valland in the Theodore Allen Heinrich Papers, housed at the Archives and Special Collections of the University of Regina in Canada.

Thanks to a handful of tips received through the Foundation’s Art Leads program, the Foundation was able to halt the auction of two 17th century small oil paintings listed as unclaimed property in Newark, Ohio and attributed to Dutch master Bosschaert.

Today, in a ceremony at Burg Hohenzollern, the Monuments Men and Women Foundation announced the restitution of the historic coffin seals of Frederick William I of Prussia, the Soldier King, to the House of Hohenzollern.

On August 27, 2025, Monuments Men and Women Foundation founder and chairman Robert M. Edsel spoke on the main stage at the American Legion National Convention before 7,000 veterans and countless others watching remotely. He shared his research into why the people of the Netherlands created the remarkable tradition of adopting the graves of fallen Americans, and asked a powerful question. Learn More.

The Forever Promise Project—a new initiative dedicated to connecting all of the families of American service members memorialized at the Netherlands American Cemetery with the Dutch citizens who have devotedly adopted their graves—is gaining powerful momentum thanks to the support of Bank of America.

Captain Walter J. Huchthausen (1904–1945), the only American Monuments Man killed in action during World War II, is honored for his sacrifice through the enduring care of his grave at the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten.

Monuments Men and Women Foundation and Ancestry Companies Partner to Fulfill a WWII Promise

Monuments Men and Women Foundation Robert M. Edsel has been invited by the Embassy of the Netherlands in the United States to serve as the keynote speaker for the Freedom Concert at the Netherlands Carillon in Washington, DC on May 5, 2025, at 4:00 PM.

We are proud to share that Monuments Men and Women Foundation President, Anna Bottinelli, had the unique opportunity to participate in an episode of the acclaimed BBC One series Who Do You Think You Are?, featuring actor Andrew Garfield.

The Monuments Men and Women Foundation and the Foundation for Adopting Graves American Cemetery Margraten (Stichting Adoptie Graven Amerikaanse Begraafplaats Margraten) proudly announce the launch of the Forever Promise Project, a groundbreaking initiative dedicated to completing the mission of the founders of the Dutch grave adoption program.

In honor of International Women’s Day we want to remember the 27 Monuments Women that were part of the MFAA.

More than four decades after the passing of Monuments Woman Rose Valland, her memoir is translated into English.

The Foundation donates a newly-discovered portfolio of documents of Monuments Man Adams to the National Gallery of Art Archives

On October 8, the Foundation returned a historical parade banner tothe Hamm-Wiescherhöfen Volunteer Fire Department

Robert Edsel's remarks at the international symposium was held in Amsterdam on the future of WWI restitution policy.

On September 14, 2024, Robert Edsel and Mr. Bernard Geenen donated to the December 44 museum (La Gleize) objects belonging to Walker Hancock