Police return stolen Auschwitz ‘Arbeit Macht Frei’ sign to museum, where it will be repaired
By APThursday, January 21, 2010
Stolen Auschwitz sign to return to museum
WARSAW, Poland — A Polish official says the famous Nazi sign stolen from the former Auschwitz death camp is being returned to the museum there a month after its theft and swift recovery.
Auschwitz spokesman Pawel Sawicki said police will hand over the badly damaged “Arbeit Macht Frei” sign to the Auschwitz museum on Thursday. Conservation experts will then determine how best to repair it.
Five Poles are under arrest after confessing to taking part in the Dec. 18 theft of the sign with the Nazi slogan “work sets you free” in German. The enduring symbol of Nazi World War II atrocities was found cut into three pieces after an intense police hunt.
Sawicki said authorities are debating whether to return to the sign to its original place or to keep a replica there instead.
