Richard Barancik, the last surviving member of the Allied unit known as the Monuments Men and Women, which during and after World War II preserved a vast amount of European artworks and cultural treasures that had been looted and hidden by Nazi Germany, died on July 14 in Chicago. His death, in a hospital, was confirmed by his daughter Jill Barancik. We did everything we could to salvage what the Nazis had done. It’s the best we could do.”An Army private first class, Mr. Barancik served in England and France — where he was not on the front lines, his daughter said, and enjoyed the marching, food and structure of military life — until Germany surrendered. After being deployed to Salzburg, Austria, he volunteered for the Monuments Men serving for three months as a driver and guard.

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Persons: Richard Barancik, Jill Barancik, Barancik, — Organizations: Fine Arts, Los Angeles Times, Army, France —, Monuments Locations: Nazi Germany, Chicago, Washington, Europe, England, France, Germany, Salzburg, Austria