Several institutions on Berlin's Museum Island have been attacked and count around 70 damaged works and historical objects.The incident, which occurred on October 3, was reportedly kept under wraps to facilitate the ongoing investigation. It was thanks to research by Deutschlandfunk radio and the weekly Die Zeit that the information was first made public. The Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation confirmed the results of the investigation in a statement on October 21.
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In all, five museums including the Alte Nationalgalerie, the Neues Museum and the Pergamon Museum were targeted. The attacks took place in broad daylight, during opening hours, on the 30th anniversary of German reunification. The authorities still do not know if the motivations of the vandals are related to the event.
The targeted objects, such as Egyptian sarcophagi, artifacts and paintings of Belgian Symbolism, were sprayed with an oily liquid. The Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation said: “The amount of liquid sprayed on each work was small and in many cases the stains could be cleaned up quickly. Objects already damaged, such as stone and wood carvings, are being examined or treated for restoration."
The reasons for the incident remain unclear, as no one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack and no witnesses have come forward. According to Christina Haak, deputy director of the State Museums of Berlin, this is “the most significant damage to objects in the collections of public museums. The museums of Berlin are appalled by this act of vandalism and strongly condemn it. "
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Easy access to the works could call into question the security of museums and the trust placed in the public. “Our philosophy and our approach allow our visitors to have direct contact with the exhibits. This is why many of them - especially sculptures - are not displayed behind glass. Millions of visitors appreciate this approach and treat the exhibits on display with care and respect. However, this approach still involves a latent risk of deliberate and intentional damage and soiling," the statement read.
Berlin's Museum Island is made up of the Altes Museum, the Neues Museum, the Alte Nationalgalerie, the Pergamon Museum and the Bode-Museum, which were built between 1830 and 1930 by the kings of Prussia. Since 1999, the museum complex, which is one of the most important in Europe, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
