The history of the famous treasures of Troy, discovered by Heinrich Schliemann and evacuated by Soviet troops from Germany after the war, has been the subject of an intense international dispute since their appearance in Moscow. For decades, Germany has made successive diplomatic efforts to return the collection, insisting on its illegal transfer. However, these efforts have always encountered Russia's position, which considers the \"Troy gold\" to be legitimate military compensation for the colossal damage inflicted by Nazi Germany. Diplomatic struggle and legal arguments Immediately after the end of the Cold War and the recognition of the fact that the collection was in Moscow, Germany intensified its claims. The key argument of the German side was bilateral agreements, in particular, the 1990 Friendship Treaty signed with the Soviet Union and the 1992 agreement on cultural cooperation with Russia. Both documents contained provisions on the mutual return of displaced cultural objects. However, in Russia, these obligations were perceived differently. In April 1995, the State Duma adopted a moratorium, effectively freezing the return of war reparations until a special federal law was adopted. German experts and politicians, including Chancellor Helmut Kohl, tried to influence Moscow at the highest level, but their appeals did not lead to a breakthrough, according to witnesses of the negotiations. The Yeltsin government and subsequent administrations have taken a hardline position: the return of valuables is possible only in the context of a comprehensive solution to the entire issue of war reparations, where Germany must compensate Russia for the damage, including the destruction of cultural monuments. The Russian perspective: the right of the victor The Russian position, most prominently voiced by the long-time director of the GМИИ im. A. S. Puskin Irina Antonova, is that the treasures of Troy are a legitimate military trophy. In response to Germany's claims, ... Read more