Germany has returned two small fragments of the Bayeux Tapestry to France, more than eight decades after they were taken during the Nazi occupation in 1941. The pieces of unembroidered linen were discovered in the state archives of Schleswig-Holstein in northern Germany, where historians were reviewing the collection of German textile expert Karl Schlabow, who is believed to have removed them while researching the tapestry under a Nazi-led project.

Archivists identified the fragments during a 2023 inventory, finding them preserved on a glass plate along with documents that helped trace their origin to the Bayeux Tapestry. Rainer Hering, head of the archive, said it was “obvious” the fragments had to be returned, and formally handed them over to the mayor of Bayeux on Thursday. The fragments are thought to have been taken from the underside of the famous embroidery, which depicts the Norman conquest of England in 1066.

The return comes amid renewed attention on the 11th-century tapestry, which is scheduled to be displayed at the British Museum in September under a loan agreement between France and the UK. The move has sparked controversy, with critics warning the fragile artefact should not travel. Despite concerns raised by artists and historians, the British Museum has pledged to safeguard the tapestry, which is insured for £800 million and has been listed on Unesco’s “Memory of the World” register since 2007.

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