A big relief. This is the return of Cotofenesti’s helmet and two gold bracelets for former director Harry Tupan of the Drents Museum. “When I came to the museum this morning and I actually saw those things there, it was a moment.”
That is not surprising, because Tupan has had fourteen difficult months. At the time of the art theft, he was director of the museum and therefore responsible for the pieces shown in the exhibition Dacia – Empire of gold and silver.
“In September I said goodbye to the Drents Museum after 45 years. But this kept nagging at me,” Tupan reflects. “This theft has had such an impact on the employees and security guards of the Drents Museum. And on our colleagues in Romania. I am quite down-to-earth, but when you see what such a theft does, it can hardly be put into words. Especially in the first six months after the robbery, I always woke up with the question: where is the helmet?”
On January 25, burglars managed to gain access to the Drents Museum with a heavy explosive. Inside they smash some display cases and take the most important pieces of the exhibition. The people from Assen had to come to the museum in a hurry.
“I was in Brussels at the time at a major art and antiques fair. There I had conversations with people about future exhibitions. Then you get called out of bed at night with this bad news. With a few hours of sleep you end up in the middle of the hectic and you have to do something with it. After all, you are ultimately responsible.”
Tupan can see this during the press conference. He speaks to the international press with a gray face. “I was quite tired, but it was also the shock of such a robbery.”
Even worse, he thinks, are the judgments that were made immediately. “It has caused us a lot of sadness as an organization that we were immediately blamed for not having our security in order. You don’t want that. Our sadness was in the items that were gone and how bad that was for the Romanians.”
“In the beginning it was very traumatic,” the former director continues. “It did something to me.”
Ultimately, the insurance pays out the compensation. A confirmation for Tupan that security was in order within the conditions. And now, after fourteen months, three of the four stolen pieces have been returned. “Now that third gold bracelet must also be returned quickly.”
“Slowly this wears off, but there were always new eruptions because of what was presented on radio, television and in the newspaper. These were often not the nicest things that were said to us. It is nice that there is now a change and I can also personally let it go.”
According to Tupan, congratulations are now appropriate for the Drents Museum team and its colleagues in Romania.
“45 years ago, I joined the museum on April 1 and now the helmet is back. We can return the art treasures to those to whom it belongs. That is the nicest thing for me and touches me the most. The golden helmet belongs to Romania and belongs in Romania.”
Furthermore, Tupan hopes that his Romanian colleague, Ernest Oberländer, will be fully rehabilitated. Oberländer is the dismissed director of the National History Museum in Romania, from which the works of art were borrowed. Oberländer is said to have made mistakes when drawing up the contract with the Drents Museum. He was fired by Romania’s culture minister. “I hope they realize that the man has been wronged.”
