Hitler bust is found in the French Senate’s cellar along with a Nazi flag – 75 years after the building was used as the Luftwaffe’s HQ
- 13.7 inch-high bust was found with the flag in the French Senate in Paris
- French officials have since claimed that they were ‘not aware’ of the objects
- Last discovery was in Argentina in 2017 where 75 pieces of Nazi art were found
French officials have said they are investigating the discovery of a bust of Hitler found in the Senate’s cellar along with a Nazi flag.
It comes 75 years after the upper house of Parliament in Paris was used in the Luftwaffe’s HQ.
The 13.7 inch-high bust was found along with the flag which reportedly measures 6.5ft by 9.8ft.
It was discovered in the vault of the Senate in the 6th Arrondissement of Paris, and officials have said they had no idea the objects were there.
The bust (pictured above) which was found in the French Senate building with a flag
The discovery comes 75 years after the upper house of Parliament was occupied by the Nazis. Hitler pictured above in 1933
The revelation comes two years after around 75 pieces of Nazi art were seized during an operation carried out on June 9, 2017.
They were found on the outskirts of Buenos Aires and have since been on display at the Interpol headquarters.
Speaking to reporters Senate president Gerard Larcher said: ‘I was not aware of the presence of this bust.’
He also added that he was ‘certain’ Senate staff had not tried to cover up the presence of the metal effigy.
The bust was detected following an investigation by French newspaper Le Monde, after one reporter was tipped over about the location of the bust.
It is not yet clear why the objects remained in the building for so long as after the war many objects were sold on the black market.
Speaking to the BBC historian Cécile Desprairies said items were fair game.
He said: ‘Flags were taken as trophies. Buildings were pillaged. The liberators took whatever they could of the occupier.
‘The black market in Nazi goods flourished – and indeed it is still there.’
Between 1940 and 1944 the stately Senate palace in the Luxembourg Gardens was occupied by the Nazi Luftwaffe command staff for the Western front.
It was liberated by Allied forces and French Resistance members on August 25, 1944, after a week of fighting.
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