A Roman erotic mosaic looted from Pompeii by a German Wehrmacht captain during World War II has been returned to Italy and is now on display at the Archaeological Park of Pompeii. The heirs of the last owner contacted the Carabinieri in Rome, leading to a diplomatic repatriation via the Italian Consulate General in Stuttgart, Germany, in September 2023. The mosaic, dating to around 79 C.E., depicts a pair of lovers and is thought to have decorated a bedroom floor in a Roman villa.
The return highlights the ongoing efforts to recover Nazi-looted artifacts more than 80 years after the war, with Germany recently announcing reforms to its restitution process. The case underscores the importance of international cooperation in repatriating cultural heritage, as noted by Major General Francesco Gargaro of the Carabinieri. Pompeii director Gabriel Zuchtriegel emphasized that each returned artifact heals a historical wound, even if its exact provenance may never be fully known.