Summary
A Madonna statue, measuring 94 centimeters and carved from wood in the 15th century, has been missing from a chapel in the village of Gehweiler since it was stolen in 1977. The case came to light again when Alexander Marmitt, the newly elected mayor of Wadrilltals district, decided to revive it after finding old books and searching through auction houses’ websites for more than a year. On January 2025, Marmitt discovered the statue on an auction house’s website, which offered the Madonna for around €20,000 in 2009. Upon contacting the police, Bistum Trier conservator Matthias Paulke confirmed that the statue had undergone professional restoration but was still unmistakable. He suspects it might have been part of a commissioned theft as online databases were not available at the time of the incident. The Saarbrücken state prosecutor concluded the investigation due to statute of limitations and has since urged Bistum Trier to continue efforts for the Madonna’s return. Mayor Marmitt hopes that once located, the statue will be shown and photographed so a reconstruction can be made.
Key Topics
Dorf Gehweiler, Madonna, Auktionshaus Paulke
