The spectacular art streak from Altenburg: Where have the masterpieces gone?

The spectacular art streak from Altenburg: Where have the masterpieces gone?

Altenburg. In the night of November 6 to November 7, 1967, unknown perpetrators broke into the Lindenau Museum and stole five valuable paintings from the collection of early Italian painting. This incredible story remained in the dark for decades until it finally came to light in 2017, 50 years after the crime. A call to help was published, but the art treasures remained disappeared.

The perpetrators took advantage of the carelessness of the security forces, who were supposed to take care of memorials that night, since the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution was about to. With a dizzying skill, they climbed up on the north facade of the museum, hit a double window and escaped with the valuable works of art. The stolen paintings, including masterpieces by Allegretto Nuzi and Alessandro Allori, were provided with collection notices and therefore almost unsalable. Why the thieves chose these works of all people remains a mystery - it may have been an order theft or just the work of petty criminals.

Investigations and breakdown

Mirko Krüger, a journalist from Erfurt, has dealt intensively with this unsolved case. He received access to eleven volumes from the police files and three volumes of state security. In his book “Tatort Thuringia”, he illuminates the numerous investigations and negligence that led to the perpetrators never being caught. The police and state security had 27 suspects from the FRG and 60 known criminals in their sights, but the search for traces was unsuccessful. The then director of the museum, Hans-Connon from the Gabelentz, criticized the poor security situation that made it easier for the thieves to access.

The case was finally laid in 1983, but the paintings remain unnecessary. If one day an image appears, the museum could be forced to buy it back because after 30 years there is no longer any entitlement to property. At that time, the five stolen works had a value of up to 320,000 marks - today this amount could be even higher. The lost art treasures are not only financially valuable, but also of great ideal value for the museum's collection.