While in power Adolf Hitler was the biggest art collector in the world. Throughout World War II he amassed a huge collection including many Old Masters. In total he had more than 500 paintings, 68 sculptures and 230 drawings. In 1944 the Allies discovered that Hitler had a secret plan to destroy his entire hoard, if he was defeated, rather than let it fall into enemy hands.
The Bonzos was the name of the small band of anti-Nazi, Austrian agents that the British recruited to be dropped back into Austria to prevent the art works' destruction. Lead by Gaswinkler, a native of the town where the art was kept, the band plugged into the rather scant Austrian resistance. They were able to infiltrate the mines at night and strategically move a few key works into the chapel area, away from the bombs, that were to be detonated if Hitler gave the order.
With such a small team, they were not able to forcefully take over the mine, so resorted to guerrilla tactics, using subterfuge to undermine the German war effort wherever possible. With the war ending some loyal Nazi troops were still committed to the fight, and the Bonzos had to keep them at bay until the American troops arrived.
This dramatic documentary features amazing black-and-white archive footage of the works being amassed which included 16 Rembrandts, works by Titian, Vermeer, Reubens, Van Eyck, Michelangelo and Bruegel. In addition there are interviews with those concerned and dramatic reconstructions of how the works were discovered and saved.
