A war-time rescue…
They rode fast, not sure of the possible dangers they might find ahead of them. Hans and his friends were just a few teenage boys from a small town in the Netherlands. How would they respond if someone stopped them? Nazi Germany was campaigning across Europe in World War 2. They heard the Germans were only days or weeks away from reaching their region of Europe. Hans had heard the stories of theft, burning, and destruction in their wake. He and his friends wanted to see the reality for themselves, and try to help in some way. They had spent their lives freely traveling through the Netherlands, Belgium, and France… and they knew and appreciated the long history that existed in so many cities and towns.
And so they rode… for days, through the darkness, and eventually across the border to France. They could hear the booming sounds of war in the distance. They were running out of time. They found peace in a beautiful local church. In the church, they saw an intricately carved wood statue of Saint James gazing back at them. They believed the statue to be hundreds of years old. Fire would surely not spare this medieval religious relic. Many in the town had already evacuated. Hans didn’t want to imagine the destruction that would arrive in this lovely town in the days to come.
In a moment of spontaneous inspiration and courage, they decided to rescue the relic. Perhaps it was divine intervention that they were there in that moment. They wrapped the statue in a blanket. Then they rode back to their homes in the Netherlands as fast as they could. In the coming weeks, the Nazis occupied the entire region in a slash and burn campaign. Hans dug into the earth under their home and buried the statue to protect it from being discovered and destroyed.
Then, a glimmer of hope emerged, a pathway out of WW2’s devastating path. Hans and his family had secured passage to America. They fled the only home they had ever known. They took what belongings they could. They also safeguarded the relic of Saint James. His statue was a symbol of hope in a dark time.
Years later, Hans’ daughter had grown up hearing this story. She wanted to finish what her father had started. She also wanted to return the statue. She contacted the French embassy and local town officials, but never received a reply or request to return the statue. Still passionate about the statue and its history, she decided to safe guard it after her father Hans was gone. Now… Saint James is ready to embark on his next journey of inspiration.
This incredible statue was recently presented for sale at our latest art and collectibles auction on Rainier Estates. Some lucky local Puget Sound bidders won this treasure. We always love receiving historic treasures like this one, and locating new owners who will forever carry on ownership. We consign items for our auctions, sales and Etsy shop, assisting our Real Estate Concierge clients from start to finish.