Bavaria is known to be a haven of security and order, you only need to ask the Minister of the Interior. Nevertheless, occasionally something happens that cannot be avoided, sometimes even something spectacular. Remember the Manching gold treasure that thieves stole from the Celtic and Roman Museum last year. 483 gold coins, more than 2000 years old, something was going on. The mayor had already considered offering a ransom if only the treasure would come home to Manching.
The perpetrators have now been caught without ransom, but the treasure is still being sold. They even melted down a few coins, these cultural philistines.
Apparently they were the ones who stole the Madonna in the rosary from the church of Maria im Weingarten near Volkach in 1962. A work by Tilman Riemenschneider, irreplaceable and not for sale. Apparently the thieves didn’t know that, they are said to have even considered burning the work of art.
The case attracted a great deal of attention and a ransom was actually offered at the time. 100,000 marks and promised absolute secrecy star-editor-in-chief Henri Nannen told the perpetrators if they would only bring back the Madonna. That gave rise to many debates – entirely in line with the star-PR – and in the end actually led to the desired result. The thieves returned the artwork. They were later caught and convicted.
Did anyone think it was art to go?
Other thieves are still on the run, namely those who have just struck at the Green Hill in Bayreuth. The artist Otmar Hörl set up 107 golden mini Wagners in front of the Festspielhaus – and now all but 15 have disappeared. The nasty crooks obviously didn’t drive up in a big truck to steal all the figures at once. The police assume that there are several perpetrators who are believed to have nothing to do with each other.
Yes, it could even be that one or the other festival guest stole a small Wagner, perhaps as a souvenir and because it was just standing there so beautifully in the meadow. According to the police, the plastic composers were not really screwed down, who would think of something like that in such an art-loving environment.
We don’t want to offer a ransom, but at least make a small appeal: Anyone who “accidentally” took a Wagner with them because they mistakenly thought it was art to go is welcome to bring it back. And also that of the neighbors. The police in Bayreuth accept both tips and figures.