Two paintings stolen by Nazis to return to Poland

Sep 23, 2011, 12:46 GMT

Warsaw - Two paintings that were stolen by the Nazis during World War II will be returned to Poland, the Culture Ministry in Warsaw said Friday.

The paintings were returned to Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski on Thursday at the Polish consulate in New York. It was not clear when they would be transported back to the National Museum in Warsaw, officials said.

'This is a big success of the Culture Ministry that they managed to get back paintings that are so valuable to Polish art,' said National Museum spokeswoman Katarzyna Wakula.

The paintings, Off to the Hunt and The Hunt, painted by 19th century Polish artist Julian Falat, will be returned to Poland after missing for 67 years.

In 2006, the works of art were put up for auction in New York. Polish officials asked the US to withdraw the paintings and investigate their origins. A New York court ruled in August that they should be returned to Poland.

Komorowski said the story felt like an 'American movie.'

'There was a kidnapping (of the paintings), illegal transport, seizure of the art work and, most importantly, there were also secret agents and a happy end,' he said.

The painting was likely stolen in the last days of the war in 1944, when Nazi soldiers looted the National Museum in Warsaw.