Morgenstern Hall of the Tarti University Museum in Estonia
Between 2022 and 2024, an international network of Georgian thieves aimed at libraries from all over Europe, exchanging originals for falsifications and selling auction rarities in Moscow.
In April 2022, two men entered the Library of the University of Tartu, Estonia, and asked for access to rare works From the Russian poet and playwright Alexander Pushkin and the Russian writer of Ukrainian origin Nikolai Gogol.
Three months later, librarians found that the originals had been replaced by copies. The case seemed isolated, but it was quickly realized that it was a much wider scheme.
In the space of 18 months, dozens of rare editions They were stolen in more than a dozen European libraries from the Baltic and Finland countries to Switzerland and France. The victims included Renom institutionsand, like the universities of Tarti, Tallinn, Vilnius and Warsaw.
In some cases, criminals replaced the specimens with replicas high quality; in others, simply carried the booksand never returned them, tells.
Europol then launched the Pushkin Operationwhich involved more than a hundred agents in international searches. Until now, Nine Georgian citizens have already been arrested under the operation.
The first to be arrested was Beqa light48 years old. Sentenced in Estonia and Latvia, three years and three months. In an interview with BBC, he said he had entered the business of the old books In 2008 to support the family, having learned to restore volumes on their own.
“I am like a wizard of books. Just take a copy to find out how much is worth and how much you can surrender, ”says Tsirekidze, who was already antecedent: in 2016 he was convicted in Georgia for stealing books from the Tbilisi History Museum, but escaped with suspended penalty.
The most media blow It occurred in October 2023 at the University of Warsaw Library.
A young couple – Mate, son of Tsirekidzeand the wife, Children Gogokozie – It was caught by the surveillance cameras to consult rare works. Shortly later, they were convicted of the theft of books evaluated in almost 85 thousand euros.
In total, they disappeared 73 copiesevaluated in over half a million euros. “And the Biggest book theft since World War II”The teacher told BBC Hieronim Gralafrom the University of Warsaw. “It’s like pulling the jewels from a crown.”
According to the academic, recent reforms in the library, which had flexed access to rare collections, eventually facilitate the action of thieves.
Stamps, falsifications, high market
Identifying the origin of books is not always simple. Many ancient specimens bring Already extinct library stamps or legally sold as duplicate, especially in the Soviet period. Others were adulterated with pages printed on aged paper or had chemically removed stamps.
A Fragility of security ins museums and libraries in which these books are usually kept contrasts with the value at stake.
“Half a kilo of goldevaluated in about 50 thousand euros, is usually stored by 22 armed men. Two books, for the same value, are in a library watched only by an elderly lady, often without chambers ”ironout style.
A search for rare books fired in recent years. Between 2022 and 2024, the R MarketRussian Arity It was significantly valued, coinciding with the thefts. For some collectors in Russia, acquiring these works is seen almost as an act of patriotism.
A notorious example is that of Mikhail Zamtaradzeanother Georgian convicted in June in Lithuania. With false documents, requested 17 rare editions. He still exchanged 12 of them for copies, and disappeared with all the originals.
The damage was estimated in about 600 thousand euros. In court, admitted to acting for Ordering of a buyer in Moscowof which it received 25 thousand euros in cryptocurrencies.
Part of the stolen books went to auctions. THE LitFundMoscow Auction House, was accused of Sell volumes with stamps from the University of Warsaw. Despite ensuring that it only sells legal works, photographs of lots published on its site showed marked specimens.
Despite the arrests, The pushkin operation is far from ending. At least one suspect awaits trial in France and several members of the network remain on the run – as well as some of the most valuable books that disappeared from European libraries.
