Germany Returns to Greece Ancient Wine Jar Looted by the Nazis

An oenochoe, or wine jug, of the 7th century BC that was looted from Greece during the German occupation in World War II, was returned by the Municipality of Hanover and the August Kestner Museum, the Greek Ministry of Culture announced on Tuesday.

The oenochoe has a trefoil-shaped mouth and a cover and is dated to 620-600 BC. Traces of the decoration around its neck are still visible.

Intermediate between a pithos (large storage vessel) or amphora (transport vessel), and individual cups or bowls, it held fluid for several persons temporarily until it could be poured. The oinochoe could pour any fluid, not just wine. The English word, pitcher, is perhaps the closest in function.

Ancient wine jar was looted from near the Corinth Canal

The vessel had been given to the August Kestner Museum by geology professor Hannfrit Putzer in 1986. It was accompanied by a letter of provenance, which said it had been handed over to him after being discovered by Germans in 1943 during excavations at the southernmost end of the Corinth Canal.

The vessel was also accompanied by a description of the trench and its position in it.

Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni hailed the return of the ancient wine jar, saying that the German museum dared to do proper research on illicitly acquired antiquities.

“The August Kestner Museum joins the group of international museums that have in recent years made great efforts to investigate provenance issues of artifacts in their collections. These (are) museums whose officials have the courage to publicize the results of their research and return to Greece the objects they have determined are linked to illegal acts.”

The oenochoe’s provenance was researched by Dr. Johannes Schwarz, who was assigned by the Museum the research into the provenance of its objects.

The Museum also reached out to the Greek Ministry of Culture for the archaeological excavation background. The entire process took two years until the vessel was handed over by the mayor to the Greek consul general in a ceremony at the Museum in Hanover on Monday that included ministry and Museum officials and members of the local Greek community as well.

“The decision of the Municipality of Hanover and the August Kestner Museum is actual proof of their wish to contribute to the restoration of the damage Greece’s cultural heritage suffered, but also to defend the reputation of the August Kestner Museum, ” Mendoni said.

Greek antiquities looted by the Nazis

German researchers have tracked down and documented hundreds of antiquities in Berlin museums looted from the island of Samos, Greece.

A report in Deutsche Welle says that a book was published recently after years of research documenting in detail the looting of antiquities between the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The book “Constantinople—Samos—Berlin: Forfeiture, Division of Finds and Clandestine Export of Antiquities on the Eve of the First World War” consists of essays that reconstruct in detail the history of excavations of the then Royal (today: National) Museums in Berlin on Samos.

The Germans also conducted official excavations at ancient Olympia during the occupation, removing all the finds to Germany. Places like Eleusis experienced large-scale looting, with many artifacts disappearing from the area.

Due to the chaotic nature of wartime looting, many smaller items taken by soldiers remain undocumented. These objects could be anything from coins to figurines.

Related: Germany’s Occupation of Greece: A Massacre and Some “Beautiful Souvenirs”