Associate Professor of American Studies/Media and Communications John Friedman discussed "Plunderer: The Life and Times of a Nazi Art Thief (Part One)," the new film on which he served as a producer, during an interview on February 19, 2025, on FOX5 NY's "Good Day New York."
The interview came in advance of the film's February 20, 2025, premiere on PBS channels WNET (New York City) and WLIW (Long Island).
“Plunderer” investigates the life of former Nazi art dealer Bruno Lohse, who became Hermann Göring’s personal collector in Paris, tasked with finding the most desirable works of art stolen from Jews. Post-war, Lohse spent a brief time in prison but then returned to Munich and resumed his career as a dealer, more often than not trading in art looted during World War II.
Parts one and two of the documentary are being made available on the website of WNET-TV.
Having made its world premiere at the DOC NYC film festival in New York City last November, "Plunderer: The Life and Times of a Nazi Art Thief" will have showing on February 25, 2025 and March 4, 2025 as part of the 2025 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival, where the film has been named a Jury Nominee. Then, on March 23, 2025, "Plunderer" will be shown during The National Center for Jewish Film's 2025 Filmfest at Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass.
This work is only the latest in Friedman's award-winning career. He produced the Academy Award-winning documentary "Hotel Terminus: The Life and Times of Klaus Barbie" and co-directed and co-produced "Stealing the Fire," which was honored by the International Documentary Association as one of the best films of the year.
He edited and wrote the introductions to "First Harvest: The Institute for Policy Studies, 1963-1983" and "The Secret Histories: Hidden Truths That Challenged the Past and Changed the World." He is the author of "Out of the Blue: A History of Lightning: Science, Superstition, and Amazing Stories of Survival."
Friedman also has written for The New York Times, the Huffington Post, and The Nation.