Case of the missing artefacts from Warsaw Ghetto still unsolved

The case came to light at the end of January. Israeli media reported that artefacts discovered at a construction site located within the boundaries of the former Warsaw Ghetto had been secretly taken to Israel. It is believed that the artefacts in question where 10 tefillin, also known as phylacteries (sets of small black leather boxes containing scrolls of parchment inscribed with verses from the Torah).

Where from and who by? This hasn't been revealed yet.

Directors of the Jewish Historical Institute, POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, and Warsaw Ghetto Museum have all reacted and issued an appeal to report any historical findings to proper institutions. Culture Ministry, the regional historic preservation office, as well as the prosecutor's office and the police have all looked into the case.

An investigation into the case of missing artefacts has been launched on February 19, 2021. The investigators asked Warsaw City Hall to reveal all constructions that had or have been taking place in the area of the former Warsaw Ghetto. "Further steps of the investigation will depend once the said locations have been determined" - said Aleksandra Skrzyniarz, a spokesperson for Warsaw District Prosecutor's Office.

Reporters from tvnwarszawa.pl have also asked the Warsaw Police about the case. "We've sent written requests to the departments of architecture of Śródmieście and Wola districts, in order to determine where the artefacts could have been located. The aim is to narrow the search area" - police press officer Piotr Świstak said.

Also district police chiefs have been involved in investigating the case. "That's because they know their districts best. They checked locations of construction sites, and where demolitions could have been done. Some questioning have been done, but so far unsuccessful" - Piotr Świstak added.

He also said the police investigates the case in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, National heritage and Sport.