Art News

Stolen Auschwitz Sign Returns to Museum

WARSAW (AP).-The infamous “Arbeit Macht Frei” sign stolen last month from Auschwitz and broken into three pieces was returned to the museum at the site of the Nazi death camp Thursday. Police — who had recovered the damaged sign quickly after its theft — handed it over to museum officials at a brief ceremony in Krakow, the Polish city 50 miles (80 kilometers) from the Auschwitz museum. Five Polish suspects have confessed to stealing the sign on Dec. 18, but officials are still seeking a suspected neo-Nazi from Sweden who is believed to have ordered the theft, possibly for a collector of Nazi memorabilia, prosecutors said. “It’s a very long process,” Sawicki said, stressing that the sign would not be returned any time soon to its original spot above the main entrance at Auschwitz — if at all. Officials may decide instead to leave up the replica now in its place, even after the original sign is repaired, Sawicki said.