Nazi-Stolen Stradivarius Violin Worth Millions Potentially Found?
Translated from Croatian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
TLDR
- A fine art expert believes she has found a legendary Stradivarius violin,
A potential breakthrough in the recovery of art stolen by the Nazis has emerged, with a fine art expert claiming to have identified a priceless Stradivarius violin that disappeared during World War II. Pascale Bernheim, founder of the organization Musique et Spoliations, believes the instrument played by violinist Emmanuel Coppey at a concert in Colmar, France, is the legendary "Lauterbach," valued at 10 million euros and missing since 1944.
Bernheim's investigation, detailed in Le Parisien, points to the violin's specific 1719 production year and its single-piece back as key identifiers matching the description of the stolen "Lauterbach." Stradivari crafted only nine violins in 1719, with two, the "Lauterbach" and "Lautenschlager," listed as missing. Bernheim asserts that the violin in Colmar possesses the single-piece back characteristic of the "Lauterbach."
Apsolutno sam uvjerena da je to Lauterbach
"I am absolutely convinced that it is the Lauterbach," Bernheim stated, highlighting the significance of potentially recovering such a valuable stolen artifact after 80 years. Her organization has pursued numerous leads, and she considers this a historic moment in the restitution of looted art. The violin's appearance at a concert, initially a brief local news item, triggered her intensive investigation.
However, the concert organizer, Emmanuel Jaeger, has disputed Bernheim's claims. He told local newspaper "Derniรจres Nouvelles dโAlsace" that the violin played at the event is not the stolen instrument. This contradiction sets the stage for a potential dispute over the violin's authenticity and provenance, leaving the art world waiting for further developments.
Prema mojim saznanjima, ovo nije ukradena violina
Originally published by Veฤernji List in Croatian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.