Two enigmatic bronze life-size horses that adorned the entrance to the office of Adolf Hitler have been recovered by authorities from a black market warehouse more than two decades after they were reportedly last seen in public.

According to the BBC, the Walking Horses were recovered from a warehouse in Bad Duerkheim during a series of raids targeting art dealers in the black market. At the moment, it is unclear how the famous sculptures got to the warehouse. The Walking Horses, which were created by Third Reich artist Josef Thorak in the 1930s, are recognized as one of the stunning examples Nazi-era art.

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German authorities reportedly conducted the raid simultaneously in five states after carrying out investigations for up to a year. According to AP, eight elderly German nationals were arrested during the raid.

Besides the Walking Horses, several Nazi-era artifacts were reportedly recovered during the recent raid. Among them is a granite relief created by Third Reich artist Arno Breker. The artwork, which has been described as "typical Nazi style," depicts a group of shirtless soldiers bearing swords.

According to German newspaper Bild, the authorities commenced their recent investigations after someone tried to sell Nazi-era art on the black market for millions of Euros. Despite having suffered some damages and being repainted gold, the Walking Horses are believed to be worth a lot of money.

The Walking Horses were originally moved during the Second World War to prevent the sculptures from being destroyed by bombs and bullets. In 1945, it was put in an army barracks in Eberswalde, Berlin. However, after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the sculpture disappeared and has not been seen until now.

According to German Art Gallery, the Walking Horses were originally designed as part of a group of sculptures that was going to be placed in Nuremberg. However, after Thorak displayed one of the horses at the Great German Art Exhibition in 1939 and it enjoyed a resounding response from spectators, the horses were placed in the garden terrace of Hitler's office.

TagsAdolf Hitler's Horse Sculptures, adolf hitler horse sculptures, Adolf Hitler house, Walking Horses, Nazi artwork found, Hitler horse sculpture