Dachau Stolen ‘Work Makes You Free’ Recovered After 2 Years
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
(JTA) — The iron gate greeting Dachau prisoners with a sign saying “Work Makes You Free” in German was found in Norway two years after it was stolen from the former Nazi camp in Germany.
The stolen section of the gate from the prisoners’ entrance reading “Arbeit macht frei” measures about 6 feet by 3 feet.
Dachau, which is about 10 miles from Munich, was the first Nazi concentration camp opened in Germany.
The theft in 2014 came five years after the 16-foot metal sign from the front gate of the former Auschwitz concentration camp was stolen and recovered across the country 72 hours later cut in three pieces. Repairing the sign took several months.
Five Polish men were convicted of carrying out the theft on behalf of a Swedish citizen, Anders Hogstrom, who acted as a middleman for a neo-Nazi buyer. Hogstrom founded the far-right National Socialist Front party in Sweden in 1994.
It was found in southwestern Norway following an anonymous tip, according to police in the Norwegian city of Bergen, the French news agency AFP reported. Though the recovery was reported in the country’s media on Friday, it is not known when the gate actually was recovered.
The gate reportedly is being studied to make sure it is authentic. It reportedly is in good condition and will be returned to Germany officials as soon as possible, according to AFP.
There have been no reports of any arrests made in connection with the theft.
A replica was placed at the entrance to Dachau, now a memorial site, since the theft.
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