In 1940 Hitler formally notified the entire Nazi Party of the formation of the ERR—Einsatzstab (task force) of Reichsleiter Rosenberg—whose mission was to confiscate all Jewish-owned European art and books for use by the Reich. Rosenberg found himself at the head of an enormous organization that moved together with the military into occupied territory to safeguard and remove “ownerless” Jewish property deemed valuable to Germany.
