A Stolen Fragment of the Bayeux Tapestry Has Finally Been Returned to France
On January 14, 2026, France officially recovered several small fragments of the Bayeux Tapestry that had been missing since World War II.
The pieces were returned by Germany after being identified in the regional archives of Schleswig-Holstein, where they had remained unnoticed for decades.
The Bayeux Tapestry is an embroidered linen cloth nearly 70 meters long, created in the 11th century to depict the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. It is one of the most closely studied medieval objects in existence.
The recovered pieces are small fragments of plain linen, each measuring only a few centimeters. Specialists believe they come from the reverse side of the Bayeux Tapestry, not from the embroidered narrative surface.
The fabric matches the tapestry’s original linen base in weave, fiber type, and age. These fragments are therefore part of the original 11th-century material used to construct the work.
Taken in 1941
In 1941, during the German occupation of France, the Bayeux Tapestry was examined by a group of German scientists as part of a research mission known as Ahnenerbe.
This Nazi organization operated under Heinrich Himmler and aimed to support ideological theories through archaeology, history, and ancient materials.
Among the researchers was Karl Schlabow, a German archaeologist and textile specialist. He came to Bayeux with other members of the mission to study the tapestry’s materials and construction.
During this work, small pieces of linen were removed from the tapestry. These were research samples, not conservation interventions.
After the war, the fragments remained in Karl Schlabow’s possession. They were stored between two glass plates and kept inside his research files.
Following his death, these documents and materials were transferred to the Schleswig-Holstein regional archives in northern Germany.
The fragments were not identified as removed cultural property at the time and stayed in storage without public attention.
Rediscoved
The fragments were rediscovered during archival research in Schleswig-Holstein. Once their origin was identified, German authorities informed French cultural institutions.
The Schleswig-Holstein archives expressed their intention to return the fragments to France. There was no legal dispute.
The fragments will be deposited in the collections of the Bayeux Tapestry Museum after the restitution process is completed.
What next ?
The fragments will not be reattached to the tapestry. Their position on the reverse side and their condition make reintegration unnecessary and risky.
They will instead be conserved separately under museum conditions. Researchers will study the linen fibers, weave structure, and aging patterns to better understand the tapestry’s original materials and how it was handled over time.
These fragments confirm that the tapestry was physically altered during Nazi research operations. They also document a rare and concrete case of cultural material removed during the occupation and later returned.