The old erotic mosaic stolen by the German Nazi captain during World War II is returned to Pompeya

A mosaic panel about Travertino’s slabs, which represents an erotic theme of the Roman era, was returned to Pompeya Archaeological Park On Tuesday, after being stolen by a Nazi German captain during World War II.

The mosaic represents a couple of lovers in a state of nudity. A male figure is resting on a bed or a sofa, while a female figure is standing, looking away from the viewer.

The work of art was repatriated from Germany through diplomatic channels, organized by the Italian consulate in Stuttgart, Germany, after being returned from the heirs of the last owner, a deceased German citizen.

The owner had received the mosaic as a gift from a Wehrmacht captain, assigned to the military supply chain in Italy during the war.

The mosaic, which dates back between the middle and the last century and the first century, is considered a work of “extraordinary cultural interest,” experts said. He may have decorated the floor of a room, said Pompeya Archaeological Park in a press release.

“It is the time when the issue of domestic love becomes an artistic theme,” said Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Pompeya Archaeological Park and co -author of an essay dedicated to the work returned. “While the Hellenistic period, from the fourth to the first century BC, exult the passion of mythological and heroic figures, now we see a new theme.”

The heirs of the last owner of the mosaic in Germany contacted the Carabinieri unit in Rome that is dedicated to protecting the cultural heritage, which was in charge of the research, asking for information on how to return the mosaic to the Italian state. The authorities carried out the necessary checks to establish their authenticity and origin, and then worked to repatriate the mosaic in September 2023.

The collaboration with the Pompeya Archaeological Park was also key, since it allowed it to track it to the Mount Vesubius volcano, despite the shortage of data on the original context of its discovery, Carabinieri said.

Then, the panel was assigned to the Pompeya Archaeological Park, where, properly cataloged, it will be protected and available for educational and research purposes. The photos show the exhibition mosaic, behind a glass cover. A small crowd gathered to look and photograph the piece.

“Today’s return is like healing an open wound,” Zuchtriegel said, added that the mosaic allows to reconstruct the history of that period, the 1st century. C., before Pompeya was destroyed by the Vesuvian eruption in 79 d.

The director of the Park also highlighted how the return of the heirs of its owner indicates an important change in “mentality”, such as “the sense of possession (of stolen art) becomes a heavy burden.”

“We see that often in the many letters we receive from people who may have stolen only one stone, bring home a piece of pompeii,” Zuchtriegel said.

The photos published on the social networks of the Pompeya Archaeological Park show that the police deliver the mosaic and then exhibit.

Zuchtriegel recalled the so -called “Curse of Pompeya”, which according to a popular superstition hits those who steal Artifacts in Pompeya.

The worldwide known legend suggests that those who steal findings from the ancient city of Pompeya will experience bad luck or misfortune. That has been fed over the years by several tourists who return stolen articles, claiming that they brought them bad luck and caused tragic events.

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