Full Breakdown
Nazi-Looted Stradivarius Violin Reappears in France Amid Identity Dispute
4/26/2026, 12:49:40 AM
The Colmar Concert and Initial Alarm
On 31 March, violinist Emmanuel Coppey performed on a 1719 Antonio Stradivari instrument during a wine-and-music evening in Colmar, Alsace. The event, organized by concert producer Emmanuel Jaeger, was reported by *Les Dernières nouvelles d’Alsace*. The presence of a Stradivarius from the luthier’s “golden period” prompted expert Pascale Bernheim to suspect the violin might be the “Lauterbach”, a instrument looted by Nazi soldiers from a Warsaw museum in 1944.
Historical Background of the Lauterbach
Polish industrialist Henryk Grohman owned the violin before World II and bequeathed it to the Warsaw museum shortly before his death. Nazi troops seized the instrument in 1944; it later resurfaced in East Germany during the Cold War and was last documented in France in the early 1990s. Stradivari crafted only nine violins in 1719; two are currently missing—the “Lauterbach” and the “Lautenschlager”. The latter is identifiable by a two-piece back, whereas the “Lauterbach” has a single-piece back.
Key Figures Involved
- Pascale Bernheim – specialist in looted musical instruments, leading the provenance investigation.
- Emmanuel Jaeger – producer of the Colmar concert, who contacted Bernheim in 2017 to trace a violin owned by luthier Jean-Christophe Graff.
- Jean-Christophe Graff – Strasbourg-based luthier whose violin was featured at the concert.
- Charles Beare – late British luthier who examined the instrument twice before his death (reported as “last year” in one source and “2025” in another).
- Henryk Grohman – pre-war owner whose descendants reside in Austria and Argentina.
Data & Valuation
- Nine Stradivari violins were made in 1719; two remain unaccounted for.
- Estimated market value of the suspected instrument: ? US $10 million (€ 13 million).
- Recent high-profile sales: the “Joachim-Ma” Stradivarius fetched US $11.3 million in 2024; the “Lady Blunt” sold for US $15.9 million in 2011.
Official Statements & Responses
Bernheim asserts that the violin matches the “Lauterbach” based on its single-piece back, expert examinations, and dendrochronological testing. Jaeger counters that, to his knowledge, the instrument played at the concert is a different 1719 Stradivarius and not the stolen violin. Both parties have declined further comment to AFP.
Criticism & Opposition
Jaeger’s challenge highlights the absence of conclusive scientific proof linking the instrument to the wartime theft. He emphasizes that multiple 1719 Stradivari violins exist, complicating definitive identification.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I am absolutely convinced that it is the Lauterbach” — Pascale Bernheim, expert
- “To my knowledge, Beare twice examined the violin, then it underwent a dendrochronological analysis” — Pascale Bernheim
- “To the best of my knowledge, this isn't the stolen violin,” — Emmanuel Jaeger, concert producer
- “If it really is a Stradivarius from 1719, and not the Lauterbach, then which one is it?” — Pascale Bernheim
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources disagree on the date of Charles Beare’s death (reported as “last year” versus “2025”), affecting the timeline of his examinations. No definitive dendrochronological results have been published, leaving the violin’s provenance unconfirmed.
What’s Next
Further scientific testing, including detailed wood analysis and archival cross-checking, is planned to verify the instrument’s identity. Should the violin be confirmed as the “Lauterbach”, restitution claims by Grohman’s heirs or Polish authorities may be pursued, potentially prompting legal and diplomatic actions.
