Open view when opened the altarpiece measures 11ft x 15ft (3.5m x 4.6m). At the time, the Altarpiece was the most sought after artwork by the Nazis Göring desired the piece for his private collection and Hitler wanted it at the forefront of his citywide super-museum. On the night of April 10, 1934, it was stolen-allegedly-by the Belgian Arsène Goedertier. In 1934, the panel was stolen and has never been located.īefore its theft, the panel was displayed at the Saint Bavo Cathedral in Ghent, Belgium along with the rest of the Ghent Altarpiece. The panel in question supposedly showed portraits of several contemporary figures such as Philip the Good (Duke of Burgundy), and allegedly showed the artists themselves. They would give the viewer different views because they had images on both the back and front. The 12 panels fit together on hinges and could be opened and closed. The Altarpiece itself was a very large and complex early 15 th century Early Flemish polyptych panel painting.

The Just Judges (or The Righteous Judges as it was also known) was the lower left panel of the Ghent Altarpiece, painted by Jan van Eyck or his brother Hubert van Eyck around 1430–32. In this list, we are examining some of the most famous artefacts of World War II that have never been recovered. The looting that took place all around the world, as well as nations wanting to secure their national treasures, meant that steps were taken to secure and transport their most valuable artefacts and repositories. World War II was, undoubtedly a very chaotic time.

German war relics