6. Hidden and Lost

In the Second World War, in 1943, Walter Schulze-Mittendorf decides to follow the initiative of a close friend of his and together with him he buries the eight bronze figures in a neighbouring garden. Right after the war, in 1945, the friends dig up their hidden treasures again, and Walter Schulze-Mittendorff takes in the eight figures.

Just at the day of death of his first wife Elisabeth, in 1949, his domestic worker for some mysterious reason takes the eight bronzes to the house of this friend. Of course, Walter Schulze-Mittendorff does ask his friend to restore the eight bronzes. But for inexplicable reasons he fails in his request. For decades the figures remain in the hands of the friend's family, unnoticed by the public.

Before this occurrence, one year after the war, the bronze figures were shown a second time: In the Berlin-Wilmersdorf art exhibition "Auf befreiten Schwingen ..." (on liberated wings). In two newspaper articles reviewing the exhibition the small figure group of Death and the Seven Deadly Sins is also referred to.

The Tägliche Rundschau of 24. April, 1946 states in the article "Auf befreiten Schwingen ..." Gang durch die Wilmersdorfer Kunstausstellung" ("On liberated wings ..." a walk through the Wilmersdorfer art exhibition"):

"Especially W. Schulze-Mittendorf's bronze figures deserve to be mentioned in taking their place (among the first works being shown): "Death and the Seven Deadly Sins". A grandiose, timeless theme here found a sensitive artistic composition."

And Der Morgen from April 16, 1946 writes in the article: Bunt und besinnlich, Berliner Frühjahrs-Kunstausstellungen (Colourful and reflective, Berlin spring art exhibitions):

"But there is ... especially W. Schulze-Mittendorf's figure group in bronze, "Death and the Seven Deadly Sins", with which the artist places himself in the proximity of timeless masters who have held a deep moral consciousness which in our opinion should be dutifully taken to heart in present day art as well. m-o"

,Der Morgen‘

of April 16, 1946

,Tägliche Rundschau‘

of April 24, 1946