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 royal palaces of King Ludwig II of Bavaria, including the iconic Neuschwanstein Castle, have been granted UNESCO World Heritage status. Celebrated for their romantic architecture, the castles also hold deep historical significance. During WWII, Neuschwanstein was used by the Nazis to store looted art, later safeguarded and recovered by the Monuments Men—making its preservation a symbol of both cultural beauty and memory.

This month it was announced that the Bayeux Tapestry will return to England next year for the first time in over 900 years, as a loan to the British Museum from the French State. During the Nazi occupation of France, the Bayeux Tapestry once again commanded the attention of those in power. Rose Valland in her memoir, The Art Front, recounts its war saga.

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.

Christie’s Paris will auction eight paintings from the renowned Adolphe Schloss collection, seized and dispersed during World War II through forced sales and legal maneuvers by French and German authorities. The collection’s story reflects not only the injustices of Nazi-era art theft, but also the political rivalries and opportunism that marked Franco-German relations during the occupation of France.

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.