Hitler’s Horses

In 1939, Nazi artist Josef Thorak created the two "Striding Horses" ("Schreitende Pferde" in German) for Adolf Hitler's New Reich Chancellery in Berlin.

Now the controversial three-meter-high and two-ton bronze sculptures are presented together in Berlin again for the first time, on the occasion of Open Monument Day on September 10 (2023). 

One of the horses has been on display there for some time, while the second one is now being exhibited for the first time in 77 years following restoration work. 

The showcase is part of the "Unveiled. Berlin and its monuments" permanent exhibition at the Spandau Citadel in Berlin, which exhibits other problematic works of art.

Where were the Thorak horses?

The story of the stallions — also named the "Thorak" horses after their creator — and their disappearance already fills an entire book.

For a long time it was not clear what had happened to the Nazi sculptures.

It was initially assumed that they had been destroyed during attacks on Berlin towards the end of the Second World War. Later, they were discovered on a Soviet barracks site near Eberswalde, northeast of Berlin.

But they disappeared from there when the Berlin Wall fell in 1989.

It wasn't until 2013 that the Berlin police received a photo that gave reason to suspect the horses might still exist. Along with the photograph was a tip-off that the horses were being offered on the secret art market for an amount in the millions.

That was the starting signal for Rene Allonge, an inspector at the Berlin State Criminal Police Office who specializes in art crime, to join forces with Dutchman Arthur Brand, perhaps Europe's most famous private art detective, to investigate.

'The best story of my life'

The duo were able to clarify that the horse sculptures being offered on the black market were the authentic Nazi bronzes.

"It was clear to me that if we got the horses back, it would be the best story of my life," Brand said.

The story also involved Stasi agents — East Germany's secret police — and the Soviet occupation forces. The horses were smuggled in pieces across what was then still a border between two occupied zones, presumably to be traded in the West for hard currency.

Then in 2015, a nationwide raid resulted in the horses being seized from an art collector in Bad Dürkheim, near the city of Mannheim in southwestern Germany. It was never clarified whether he had obtained them illegally, and investigations were dropped when the statute of limitations lapsed.

After a years-long legal battle, the collector was finally willing to hand over the horses in 2022.

Brand published a book about the art crime. The case has all the elements of a thriller, he says, including its secrecy, Nazi sympathizers and the raid. No wonder Hollywood has already secured the film rights to the material.

Watch the incredible history of the two Horses .

Listen to the Podcast

In 2014, Dutch art detective Arthur Brand hears about a controversial artwork that someone is offering for sale on the black market - a pair of monumental bronze horses by one of Hitler’s favourite sculptors. Like everyone else, Arthur thought the statues had been destroyed in the war. So are they genuine? Or is the whole thing a daring hoax? And who is behind it? Arthur fears the sellers are violent neo-Nazis who will use the proceeds to fund their terrorist activities. To thwart their plans, he must enter a shadowy world of dodgy art dealers and Nazi sympathisers.  A Noiser production, written by Roger Morris For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Now available for Apple and Android users.

Read the Book

The true story of a detective, two bronze horses and the dictator who set the world on fire.

When detective Arthur Brand is summoned to a meeting with one of the most dangerous men in the art world, he learns that a clue has emerged that could solve one of the Second World War’s unexplained mysteries: what really happened to the Striding Horses, Hitler’s favourite statue, which disappeared during the bombing of Berlin.

As Brand goes undercover to find the horses, he discovers a terrifying world ruled by neo-Nazis and former KGB agents, where Third Reich memorabilia sells for millions of dollars. The stakes get ever higher as Brand carefully lays his trap to catch the criminal masterminds trying to sell the statue on the black market. But who are they? And will he manage to bring them to justice before they discover his real identity?

With a plot worthy of John Le Carré, Hitler’s Horses is a thrilling retelling of one of history's most extraordinary heists.