A Web Log Championing the Longstanding Interests of Collectors in the Preservation, Study, Display and Enjoyment of Cultural Artifacts Against an "Archaeology Over All" Perspective
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Polish Government Seeks to Reclaim War Trophy
The Washington Post has reported on the Polish Government's efforts to take a rare Polish WW II era rifle from a Polish-American gun collector. The Poles claim the gun is Polish Government property that was stolen by the German Army. The collector argues the gun is a war trophy. The US Attorney's office, which initially brought a forfeiture action on behalf of Homeland Security and the Polish Government, has had a change in heart and has evidently withdrawn from the case, presumably leaving the Poles to pursue their own claim. It will be interesting to see how serious the Polish Government is about the case now that the US taxpayer will no longer be footing the bill. But shouldn't the US Government done an adequate investigation BEFORE seizing the weapon? And why didn't the Polish Government ask the collector-- who is a a proud Polish-American-- if he wanted to sell or donate it to a Polish Museum? As it is, this looks like yet another case where Homeland Security shoots first and asks questions later based on nothing more than the self-serving declarations of a foreign power.
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