German Court Impounds $3.8 Million Car That Was Stolen By American Soldiers
Dutch classic car collector Frans van Haren paid $3.8 million for a 77 year old Mercedes 500K Spezial Roadster. The regrets came when he tried to sell the rare car of which only 58 were built. When the car was offered for sale at last year’s Techno Classica car show in Essen, Germany, the car was impounded. Van Haren can kiss the car good-bye. A German court ruled that the car goes back to the estate of its erstwhile German owner.
According to Bloomberg, the car was stolen by U.S. soldiers at the end of World War II. Hans Prym, the owner of a manufacturer of clothing fasteners that earned him the title of “Zipper King” kept the car in Stolberg, close to the Belgian border. U.S. troops quartered at Prym’s Waldfriede estate absconded with the car. A court in Hamburg ruled that the soldiers had no title to the car, and that Prym’s grandchildren have a valid claim to the Mercedes.
The court said that the statute of limitations has not expired. The 30-year period under German law is only applicable for the time the car has been in Germany.
Lawyers of the heirs will now file suit for the car’s return.
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
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Shoulda sold it on Craigslist.
Good to know. If I ever drive my Land Cruiser to Afghanistan I'll be sure to take off the centercap in the left rear wheel that I stole from a disabled cruiser.