The tombstone, intricately carved and bearing inscriptions identifying it as the tomb of Christina von Schöneich, née von Panwitz, was found on private property in a coastal town in Gryfice County.
The artifact was discovered in plain view during documentation photography, with the current owner claiming to have purchased it from a trader in 2000, unaware of it being stolen.
Superintendent Marek Łuczak, a specialist in art theft recovery with a PhD in history, was instrumental in identifying the tombstone.
“When I saw the photos, I knew it was a slab from Lower Silesia or Lusatia; you don’t see such things in Pomorze region. I was certain it was something brought there, probably stolen,” said Łuczak.
The sandstone artifact, dating back to the late 16th century, is valued at tens of thousands of euros.
Following extensive research and consultation with the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, as well as the National Heritage Institute (NID) in Warsaw, it was confirmed that the slab was stolen in 1999 from the church in Gębice.
The tombstone is part of a pair commemorating Christina and her husband, Philipp II von Schöneich, who owned estates in Żary County in the 16th century. Historians traced Christina’s lineage to Anton von Panwitz from Kathel or Katlow, narrowing the search area to the border of Dolnośląskie and Lubuskie Provinces.
Both the tombstones of Christina and Philipp were registered as historic monuments in 1975 and were displayed on the exterior wall of the Gębice church. However, both were stolen.
Superintendent Łuczak credited the breakthrough to the collaboration between historians, conservators, and law enforcement agencies, noting that the discovery was somewhat accidental.
“The bas-relief was lying openly on the property, not hidden,” he said. The investigation remains ongoing as efforts are made to locate the missing tombstone of Philipp von Schöneich.
The recovered tombstone has been transported to the secured cloister at the Kamień Pomorski Cathedral, where it will remain until further notice. Authorities are currently deciding when the relic will be returned to its original location in Gębice.
