Saxony's Treasury Museum Green Vault: Free State demands compensation from perpetrators

In connection with the burglary in Saxony's Green Vault Treasury Museum, the Free State of Saxony has demanded that the perpetrators convicted so far pay compensation. It is a matter of just under 76.1 million euros for the missing and damaged parts of the loot that have been returned, as lawyer Matthias Aldejohann told the German Press Agency on Thursday. This reduction in value had been determined in an appraisal by experts from the Dresden State Art Collections, to which the Green Vault belongs.

According to Aldejohann, the five legally convicted young men from the well-known Remmo clan in Berlin were issued with reminder notices in order to secure the Free State's claim. One of them had objected to this, while the others were subject to final enforcement orders.

The art theft from the reconstructed Baroque section of the museum in the Residenzschloss on 25 November 2019 was one of the most spectacular in Germany, in which the perpetrators stole 21 pieces of jewelry with diamonds and brilliants worth 116.8 million euros.

The trial against the jewel thieves ended in May 2023 with five convictions to multi-year prison sentences, which have since become final. They had returned the majority of the loot at the end of 2022 as part of a deal, but the most valuable pieces are still missing. Although the judges had affirmed the Free State's claim for damages, they refused to set a specific amount as it would be too costly and time-consuming to determine.

According to an answer from the Ministry of Culture to a question from the Left Party in the state parliament in February, the original value of the stolen jewelry was estimated at just under 128.6 million euros. The reduction in value of the parts of the loot that had already been returned, some of which were severely damaged or destroyed, was estimated at just under 52.5 million euros.

A civil chamber of the Dresden Regional Court is dealing with the Free State's lawsuit against SKD's security company. It is demanding a good 15 million euros in damages plus 300,000 euros for repairs to the museum - the verdict is due to be announced on July 9.