The Kaplen JCC on the Palisades will be hosting a rare presentation with guest speaker, Harry Ettlinger, the “last of the Monument Men” on Thursday, March 26, 10:45 a.m.-12 p.m. The story of the Monument was made into a movie starring George Clooney, who met with Ettlinger while preparing the movie.

As a Jewish teen, Ettlinger fled Nazi Germany, but returned six years later as one of the Monument Men, a small courageous corps of men (and a few women) who put aside their own dreams and careers to recover precious art and artifacts stolen by the Nazi’s during WWII. Without them and their selfless devotion, some of the most important treasures of European culture would be forever lost.

Mr. Ettlinger will share his first-hand account of the missions he undertook as part of this heroic group, including an effort where a Rembrandt self-portrait and thousands of other great works were found 700 feet deep in the Kochendorf Salt Mine in Germany. His story and those of his colleagues, who often operated alone and with limited resources, is so intriguing it was made into a feature film, The Monuments Men, starring Matt Damon and George Clooney.

Cost is $10 JCC members, $12 general admission. For more information, please call Ruth Yung at 201.40.1418 or [email protected].